New Delhi [India], January 15 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday stated that India has turned its vast diversity into a cornerstone of its democratic strength, noting that the country's strong democratic institutions and processes ensured that democracy was stable, efficient, and capable of operating at a large scale--all simultaneously.

During his address at the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) at the Central Hall of the Parliament, PM Modi said, 'India has transformed diversity into a strength of democracy. India has proven that democratic institutions and democratic processes provide democracy with stability, speed, and scale--all three.'

Reflecting on India's post-independence journey, the Prime Minister noted that many had doubted the survival of democracy in a nation marked by immense diversity, stating, however, that this diversity became the 'strength of Indian democracy'.

'When India gained independence, many doubted whether democracy could survive amidst the country's immense diversity. However, this very diversity became the strength of Indian democracy. There was also skepticism that even if democracy did take root, India would struggle to progress. Contrary to these doubts, India has demonstrated that democratic institutions and processes provide stability, scale, and speed to its development,' the PM said.

PM Modi also stressed India's progress and development, stating that today India is the fastest-growing major economy globally, its UPI system is the world's largest digital payment platform, the country leads as the top producer of vaccines, and it ranks second worldwide in steel production.

The Prime Minister recalled the historic significance of the Central Hall, now named Samvidhan Sadan, noting that it served as the meeting place of the Constituent Assembly during India's independence and functioned as the Parliament of India for 75 years.

'For 75 years after India's independence, this building served as the Parliament of India, and many important decisions and discussions concerning India's future took place in this very hall. Now, India has named this place, dedicated to democracy, as the Constitution House (Samvidhan Sadan),' the PM said.

This is the fourth time the Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers Conference is being held in India, with this year's main theme focusing on 'Effective delivery of parliamentary democracy'.

The high-level conference is chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and will feature 61 Speakers and Presiding Officers from 42 Commonwealth countries, along with representatives from four semi-autonomous parliaments, underscoring the event's global scale and significance.

CSPOC will deliberate on a range of contemporary parliamentary issues to strengthen democratic institutions and modern legislative practices.

Key themes include the evolving role of Speakers and Presiding Officers, technological innovation in parliamentary functioning, and enhancing citizen engagement with democratic processes.

Among the major topics scheduled for discussion are 'AI in Parliament: Balancing Innovation, Oversight and Adaptation', to be led by Malaysia; 'Social Media and its Impact on Parliamentarians', to be presented by Sri Lanka; and 'Innovative Strategies to Enhance Public Understanding of Parliament and Citizen Participation Beyond Voting', with contributions from Nigeria and South Africa.

Other sessions will focus on the security, health and well-being of Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff, as well as a special plenary discussion on the role of Speakers and Presiding Officers in maintaining strong democratic institutions. (ANI)