New Delhi, Feb. 23 -- In a push to expand India's parliamentary diplomacy, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has constituted Parliamentary Friendship Groups with over 60 countries, aiming to deepen engagement between India's legislature and parliaments across the world.

The initiative seeks to "widen India's inter- parliamentary engagement with the world" according to a release by the Lok Sabha secretariat.

It said, the move reflects a conscious effort by the Indian Parliament to deepen dialogue and exchanges with legislatures across continents and to complement traditional diplomacy with sustained parliamentary interaction.

The Friendship Groups bring together Members of Parliament from across the political spectrum. The group will be led by...