The Indian Parliamentary Delegation actively participated in the second day of the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference held in Cape Town, South Africa from September 12 to 19, 2026. Shri Harivansh, Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, attended the main conference session on "Promoting Inter-parliamentary Dialogue for Inclusive Fair Trade in Diverse Economies, Addressing Inequality and Underdevelopment in the Commonwealth and Beyond." He also held a bilateral meeting with Hon. Ms. Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, Chairperson of South Africa's National Council of Provinces, to exchange views on mutual parliamentary interests and strengthen bilateral parliamentary relations.
Smt. Ritu Khanduri Bhushan, Speaker of Uttarakhand, chaired the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians session on "Intergenerational Equality: The Future of Parliamentary Democracy." Shri Vijender Gupta, Speaker of Delhi Legislative Assembly, chaired the joint workshop of Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, CPA Small Branches and Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities on "Delivering Inclusivity Measures in Capacity-Strained Parliaments." Dr. D. Purandeswari, MP from Lok Sabha, participated as a panelist in the CWP session on "Legislating for All: Gender Mainstreaming in Procedure, Practices and Policy."
During trade and economic development discussions, Shri Kulthar Singh Sandhwan, Speaker of Punjab, highlighted India's experience in digital payments and improving access to credit and institutional support for farmers and producers. Shri Krishna Prasad Tenneti, MP from Lok Sabha, emphasized India's commitment to an open, inclusive and rules-based multilateral trading system and proposed a two-tier binding WTO dispute settlement mechanism.
Shri C. Sadanandan Master, MP from Rajya Sabha, and Shri Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Speaker of Kerala, contributed to discussions on "Accessible Parliaments: Inclusion for People with Disabilities." Ms. Namita Mundada, MLA from Maharashtra, highlighted the establishment of creche facilities in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly as an example of promoting inclusive and family-friendly parliamentary workplaces. The delegation's participation reaffirmed India's commitment to constructive parliamentary engagement, inclusive governance, and exchange of legislative experiences among Commonwealth countries.