New Delhi : The Vice President of India, C.P. Radhakrishnan, met Lord McFall of Alcluith, the Lord Speaker of the United Kingdom’s House of Lords, in New Delhi on Thursday as part of engagements linked to the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC). India is hosting the three-day conference from January 14 to 16, 2026.
During the interaction at Parliament House, the Vice President welcomed the UK parliamentary leader and conveyed appreciation for his participation in the Commonwealth conference. He noted that the visit reflected the enduring relationship between India and the United Kingdom and highlighted the importance of sustained dialogue between democratic institutions of both nations.
The discussions touched upon the historical evolution of parliamentary systems in the two countries. The Vice President observed that while India’s legislature has been influenced by the Westminster tradition, it has developed its own distinct character shaped by the country’s constitutional values and social diversity.
Emphasising shared democratic principles, the Vice President spoke about the centrality of the rule of law, parliamentary privileges and the responsibility of legislatures to hold the executive accountable. He also underlined that freedom of expression within Parliament must be exercised with a sense of responsibility and should not be misused in a manner that disrupts democratic functioning.
Parliamentary diplomacy featured prominently in the talks, with the Vice President reiterating India’s commitment to strengthening inter-parliamentary engagement within the Commonwealth framework. He expressed interest in expanding cooperation through structured exchanges, joint capacity-building initiatives and regular interactions between members and officials of the two legislatures.
The Vice President also highlighted the growing role of technology in legislative work, noting India’s progress in adopting digital tools such as electronic parliamentary systems, live telecasts of proceedings and digitisation of records. He conveyed interest in learning from the House of Lords’ experience in using technology to improve transparency, accessibility and public participation in parliamentary processes.
The meeting further explored the scope for collaboration on global and developmental priorities through parliamentary platforms. Issues such as enhancing women’s participation in politics, legislative support for climate resilience, cooperation in higher education and the use of technology to make governance more inclusive were identified as potential areas of joint focus.
Concluding the discussion, the Vice President reaffirmed India’s commitment to democratic values and expressed confidence that closer parliamentary engagement would continue to strengthen bilateral ties. He noted that such cooperation could also serve as a constructive example for other Commonwealth nations.
Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Shri Harivansh, was also present during the meeting.
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