External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar issued a statement in Parliament on Monday March 9 on the ongoing conflict between the US, Israel and Iran. He spoke about India’s approach to the issue and why India is concerned.
He further highlighted the government’s efforts to bring back stranded Indian citizens from the conflict-affected region. The minister also informed that the center allowed an Iranian ship to dock at its port amid the crisis in the Middle East.
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Here are the best quotes from Jaishankar’s Rajya Sabha speech:
1. On the situation in West Asia, S Jaishankar said: “This ongoing conflict is of particular concern to India. We are a neighboring region and have an obvious interest in West Asia remaining stable.”
“Nearly one million Indians live and work in the Gulf countries. There are also several thousand Indians in Iran for study or employment. The region is critical to our energy security and includes many important oil and gas suppliers….Severe supply chain disruptions and a climate of instability are serious issues,” Jaishankar said.
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2. “Given the implications of this conflict for our energy security, the government remains committed to ensuring that it takes into account the availability, costs and risks of energy markets. Our priority is and always will be the interest of Indian consumers,” Jaishankar said.
3. Giving a grim update on the human cost of the maritime disruption, Jaishankar informed the Rajya Sabha: “We have lost two Indian seamen (merchant shipping) and one remains missing,” he said.
4. Iran has asked India for permission for three of its ships to dock at its ports, which was granted on March 1, S Jaishankar said on Monday, adding that the government believed it was the “right thing to do”.
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One of the three ships docked in the southern Indian port of Kochi on March 4 and its crew was at Indian naval facilities, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar told parliament on Monday.
“IRIS LAVAN indeed docked on March 4 in Kochi. The crew is currently in Indian naval facilities. We believe it was the right thing to do and the Iranian foreign minister expressed gratitude to his country for this humane gesture,” he said.
5. Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s diplomatic position and reiterated that “dialogue and diplomacy are the ways forward for all parties to de-escalate”. He reminded Parliament that the government had already expressed its concerns last month.
“We continue to believe that dialogue and discussion should be used to resolve all issues,” he said.
6. “Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) continues to closely monitor emerging developments and relevant ministries are coordinating to ensure effective responses,” Jaishankar said.
7. Jaishankar noted that the government maintains constant communication with Indians across the Persian Gulf and confirmed that the Indian embassy in Tehran remains “fully operational” and is providing active assistance to students caught up in the conflict.
8. Jaishankar said the government has been continuously assessing the situation in West Asia since the outbreak of the conflict. The minister told the House that the embassy had already allowed several students to be relocated to “safer areas”.
He further said that intensive efforts are underway to help Indians currently stranded in countries like Qatar and Jordan to ensure that they are “brought back safely”. He said, “We are making all efforts to bring back Indians stranded in West Asia.”
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9. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said more than 52,000 Indians have returned to the country following the partial opening of airspace in the region.
“We have facilitated international border crossings for Indian nationals, including from the United Arab Emirates to Oman and from Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain to Saudi Arabia.”
“Wherever there has been a partial opening of airspace, we have approved and operated commercial flights, including non-scheduled flights, to allow Indian passengers to return. Our estimate is that as of yesterday, nearly 67,000 of our nationals have done so,” he said.
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10. He said contacts with Iran at the leadership level are clearly difficult at the moment. “However, I spoke with the Iranian foreign minister on February 20 and March 5, 2026.”
“The PM maintained close contact with the relevant countries. He personally spoke to the President of the United Arab Emirates, the Emir of Qatar, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, the Crown Prince of Kuwait, the King of Bahrain, the Sultan of Oman, the King of Jordan and the Prime Minister of Israel,” Jaishankar said.
“In any case, we have been assured that the welfare of the Indian community will be a priority for the host government. I have been in touch with the counterparts in those countries. As for the US, we have been in touch through diplomatic channels,” he added.
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11. The ministry highlighted three main factors in India’s approach: “India remains for peace, a return to dialogue and diplomacy; it advocates de-escalation, restraint, ensuring the safety of civilians,” he said.
