New Delhi, Oct. 26 -- As the national capital hosts foreign delegations for the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday highlighted the importance of parliamentary diplomacy, saying it provides an opportunity for MPs to engage with their counterparts in other countries through dialogue that is more informal than government-to-government meetings.

Speaking to the media, Tharoor recalled the parliamentary delegations sent abroad after Operation Sindoor last year, saying their interactions demonstrated the value of direct engagement between parliamentarians.

"It is very important in many ways. This is an opportunity to showcase parliamentary diplomacy. Governments do all the official stuff. But when we went out...