India is set to host the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliaments of Commonwealth Countries (CSPOC) from January 3 to 6, 2026, in New Delhi.
- Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced this during the CSPOC Standing Committee Meeting in Guernsey.
- The conference will focus on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and social media in parliamentary processes, aiming to enhance the effectiveness, inclusivity, and transparency of parliamentary institutions.
- CSPOC, established in 1969 by then Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada, Lucien Lamoureux, serves as a platform for Speakers and Presiding Officers from Commonwealth parliaments to exchange best practices and strengthen parliamentary cooperation.
- The conference is held biennially, with Canada providing a secretariat to facilitate its activities.
- CSPOC operates independently without formal ties to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association or the Commonwealth Secretariat.
- India has previously hosted CSPOC conferences in 1970-71, 1986, and 2010, reflecting its longstanding tradition of engaging in inter-parliamentary dialogues.