PM Modi’s Rajya Sabha speech LIVE: Addressing the Rajya Sabha on the ongoing conflict in West Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi explained India’s position on the issue.
The war in West Asia has created a serious global energy crisis, including in India, Prime Minister Modi said in his speech. The Prime Minister said that the Indian government is trying to get gas and oil from all possible sources. According to him, if the crisis in West Asia persists for a longer period of time, there are serious consequences.
Today’s speech during the ongoing budget session of Parliament comes a day after the Prime Minister briefed the Lok Sabha on the situation and the steps taken by the government for the safety of the citizens of the country.
The speech comes amid escalating tensions in West Asia that have disrupted critical maritime corridors and raised concerns about the safety of Indian citizens in Gulf countries.
The Union government has also called an all-party meeting on the West Asian crisis on March 25. Earlier in the day, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting on the evolving situation in the Middle East on Tuesday morning. Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, three service chiefs, DRDO Chairman Dr Samir Kamat and others were present in the meeting.
The Iranian foreign minister spoke with Lavrov
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Monday after US President Donald Trump announced that Washington and Tehran had “very good and productive talks regarding the full and complete resolution of our hostile actions”.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India has sufficient energy reserves to meet domestic needs even as the war with Iran poses unprecedented challenges for the country. He added that the government is working to ensure that the supply of petrol, diesel and gas remains largely intact so that ordinary households face as few problems as possible.
Fourth week of the conflict
The conflict in West Asia entered its fourth week, disrupting trade routes through the Strait of Hormuz. Tensions escalated after the killing of Iran’s 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint US-Israeli military strikes on February 28.
In retaliation, Iran targeted Israeli and US assets in several Gulf countries, causing further disruption to the waterway and affecting international energy markets as well as global economic stability.
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