An Indian Parliamentary Delegation led by Harivansh, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, is participating in the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Arusha, Tanzania.
On 5 October 2026, the first day of the Assembly, members of the Indian delegation participated in several committee meetings, regional group discussions, women parliamentarians’ sessions and bilateral engagements.
Participation in IPU Committees
Dr. Sanjay Jaiswal, MP, Lok Sabha, participated in the sessions of the IPU Committee on Health.
The Indian delegation also took part in meetings of the Asia-Pacific Geopolitical Group. During the meeting, Aparajita Sarangi, MP, Lok Sabha, and member of the IPU Executive Committee, briefed participants on recent activities and initiatives undertaken by the Executive Committee.
Forum of Women Parliamentarians
Indian MPs actively participated in the Forum of Women Parliamentarians.
Kamaljeet Sehrawat, MP, Lok Sabha, participated in a debate on:
“Inclusive social development for all: Parliamentary strategies to promote the rights and empowerment of people living with disabilities.”
She presented India’s perspective on disability rights, inclusion and parliamentary strategies.
Bijuli Kalita Medhi, MP, Lok Sabha, participated in the second session of the Forum on the theme “Women Leadership.”
Other Parliamentary Engagements
Dr. Sasmit Patra, MP, Rajya Sabha, attended the meeting of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly.
Lata Wankhede, MP, Lok Sabha, who is a member of the IPU High-Level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism (HLAG-CTVE), attended the Board meeting of the Group.
Bilateral Meetings
The Indian delegation, led by Harivansh, also held bilateral meetings with:
- Milton Dick, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Australia
- Mussa Azzan Zungu, Speaker of the Parliament of Tanzania
The discussions focused on matters of mutual interest and parliamentary cooperation.
Inauguration of the 153rd IPU Assembly
The Parliament of Tanzania organised the formal inaugural ceremony of the Assembly.
The ceremony was addressed by Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of Tanzania, who formally declared the 153rd IPU Assembly open.
Harivansh and MPs Aparajita Sarangi, Anurag Singh Thakur, N.K. Premachandran and Dr. Sasmit Patra attended the inaugural event.
The Indian delegation also interacted with several ministers of the Tanzanian government, including the country’s Foreign Minister.
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