NEW DELHI:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first PIO Parliamentarian Conference on January 9 on Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas.

As many as 124 MPs, 17 Mayors of Indian origin from 23 countries, including UK, USA, South Africa and Canada will participate in the conference being held in the Capital.

“We are not sending invitation for Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to any SAARC country except Sri Lanka,ÂÂ Dnyaneshwar Mulay, Secretary, Overseas Indian Affairs in the Ministry of External Affairs said here on Friday.  Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu will chair the valedictory session of the conference.

He said the first PIO Parliamentarian conference would open new communication channels with 23 countries and expand cooperation in a number of areas as well as create awareness on the wide spread of IndiaÂs roots. He said that nearly 270 PIOs were occupying high posts of heads of States, governments, MPs and Mayors in different countries.

At two sessions of the conference, star speakers will include former Union Minister and chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee Shashi Tharoor and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar.  

Responding to a query, Mr. Mulay said that strong links with PIOs and effective communication with them had helped in improving the image of India in a number of developed nations.