Addressing the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to remain prepared for any challenge.
The remarks came a day after he spoke in the Lok Sabha on the same issue. Addressing the upper house, Modi warned that there was a “high possibility” that the adverse effects of the conflict could persist for a long time.
Situation worrying for India: PM Modi
Outlining the government’s response, the Prime Minister said the war has now been going on for more than three weeks and has sparked a severe energy crisis that is unsettling global oil markets.
The situation worsened after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical sea route. Several ships are now stranded in the region, including vessels carrying a significant number of Indian crew members.
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He added that with the ongoing energy crisis, the situation is worrisome for India as well, as trade routes are affected and regular supplies of essential commodities like petrol, diesel, gas and fertilizers are also disrupted.
Apart from the crisis in the energy market, Delhi is also worried about the safety of around 10 million Indians living and working in West Asia.
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Our goal is to restore peace in the region
Since the conflict began in late February, Prime Minister Modi said he had spoken twice to the leaders of most West Asian countries, adding that the government was in constant contact with the Gulf countries and the US, Israel and Iran.
He emphasized that India’s aim is to restore peace in the region through dialogue and diplomacy. New Delhi has spoken to the leaders of the Persian Gulf countries about de-escalating the conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Any threat to human life in this war is not in the interest of humanity. Therefore, it is India’s constant endeavor to encourage all parties to reach a peaceful solution at the earliest, he added.
Attacks on civilians, civilian infrastructure, unacceptable: PM Modi
Prime Minister Modi condemned attacks on merchant vessels and disruption of international waterways, calling them “unacceptable”. It also opposed attacks on civilians, civilian infrastructure, energy and transport-related infrastructure.
The safety of Indians is our top priority
Responding to concerns about stranded Indians in the region, the prime minister said over 375,000 Indians had returned safely since the conflict began. Over 1,000 people returned from Iran, including 700 students who were there for medical education.
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The PM noted that India is in touch with the Gulf countries, which have ensured the safety of Indians living in the region.
India is diversifying its energy imports
PM Modi also addressed concerns over energy imports and said that over the last 11 years, the government has ensured diversification of energy imports. He noted that earlier India sourced crude oil, LNG and LPG from 27 countries; today that number has increased to 41.
At the same time, the government also focused on building reserves to cushion the disruption. Oil companies maintain significant emergency stocks of gasoline and diesel, while more than 5.3 million metric tons of strategic oil reserves have been built up, with plans to expand these reserves beyond 6.5 million metric tons.
He assured that New Delhi has sufficient oil reserves and systems to ensure uninterrupted supply.
