PM Modi Rajya Sabha Speech Highlights: Mallikarjun Kharge calls PM’s speech ‘exercise in obfuscation’

India backs the swift restoration of peace in West Asia and keeping the Strait of Hormuz open for global shipping, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday when US President Donald Trump dialled him to discuss the crisis.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump spoke by phone on Tuesday and discussed the situation in the Middle East, including the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, US envoy to India Sergio Gor and Modi said in separate posts on X.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge posted on X:

“The 20-minute statement by Prime Minister Modi in the Rajya Sabha was, at best, an exercise in obfuscation.

We seek clear answers to three fundamental questions:

First, through his inconsistent and swinging diplomatic posture, the Prime Minister appears to have altered the balance of India’s strategic autonomy; long a cornerstone of our foreign policy across successive governments. Following his recent visit to Israel, India has faced visible diplomatic consequences. Why did the Prime Minister fail to take Parliament and the nation into confidence about this apparent shift, and what concrete steps have been taken to restore India’s strategic autonomy?

Second, nearly 37–40 Indian-flagged ships, carrying around 1,100 sailors, remain stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, with cargo valued at approximately ₹10,000 crore. Despite the Prime Minister personally speaking to the Iranian President twice, and the External Affairs Minister engaging multiple times with his Iranian counterpart, why has India failed to secure safe passage for its own vessels? Why are countries like China Russia, Japan, along with other “friendly nations,” being granted safe transit, while Indian ships remain stuck?

Third, the Prime Minister has claimed in Parliament that India has diversified its energy imports from 27 to 41 countries. If so, which countries are currently supplying LNG, LPG, and crude oil to India, and in what quantities? More importantly, if diversification has been achieved, why are citizens still facing shortages, long queues, black marketing, and sharp price rises across the country?

It has now been 25 days since the conflict began, and India is facing a deepening energy crisis, one for which the government should have been far better prepared. The Prime Minister has now likened the situation to being “Covid-like.” The nation cannot forget the tragic suffering during the pandemic, when over 40 lakh lives were lost and countless citizens were left struggling for basic necessities like oxygen.

Is the Prime Minister now suggesting that 140 crore Indians must once again fend for themselves as the country stares at an escalating energy crisis, along with looming food, fertiliser, MSME, and inflationary pressures?

Prime Minister Modi’s statement comes too late and raises more questions than it answers!!”

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, “The PM spoke on West Asia in the Rajya Sabha this afternoon for about 20 minutes. Like after his statement in the Lok Sabha yesterday, the Opposition was not allowed to seek any clarifications after he had read out his statement in the Rajya Sabha.”

“As expected, it was a prepared text full of self-praise for all that he claims to have accomplished in the last eleven years,” Ramesh posted on X.

“There was also some hypocrisy when he called for cooperation from all states whose constitutional rights are continually being trampled upon; when he asked states to protect migrant workers after destroying MGNREGA which had been a lifeline for them during the Covid-19 pandemic; and when he called upon the states to implement the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana which is founded on the National Food Security Act, 2013 that he had opposed as CM,” he said.

Rahul Gandhi on PM Modi’s address: “Our foreign policy is PM Modi’s personal foreign policy… Everyone considers this a universal joke… Donald Trump knows exactly what PM Modi can and cannot do. If the Prime Minister is compromised, our foreign policy is compromised… He made an irrelevant speech in the Parliament yesterday… It should seem that he is India’s Prime Minister, but there is no position… People will have to suffer due to this. It is just the beginning where LPG and Petrol prices have risen… He claims the situation will be like Covid, but he forgot how many people died during Covid and the amount of tragedies that took place,” the LoP said

BJP MP Janardan Singh Sigriwal says it has become a habit of the opposition to comment on everything. Prime Minister, in his Lok Sabha speech, has appealed to the world and the country about so many positive things, and the world and the country are accepting it.

“But the opposition is still not able to accept it. The opposition should learn to digest it; the opposition should start trying to digest it. He(PM Modi) has given importance to every single thing. He has also told the world that they are sending a message through the Lok Sabha: that there is peace in the world…” he told news agencies outside Parliament on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the government is trying to procure gas and crude oil from all available sources, and efforts will continue in the coming days as the war in West Asia has created a serious energy crisis globally.

In a statement in the Rajya Sabha, Modi said the war in West Asia is a cause of concern, and India wants peace in the region through dialogue and diplomacy.

India’s aim is de-escalation of the war and opening of the Strait of Hormuz, he said, adding the country’s attempt is to encourage all sections to peacefully resolve all issues.

If the West Asia crisis persists for a longer period, serious consequences are imminent, the prime minister said. – PTI

PM Modi has said COVID-like time is coming, but they’ve forgotten what kind of tragedies had unfolded then, says Rahul Gandhi

PM Modi said in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday that he had spoken twice with the Heads of State of most West Asian countries and that India was in continuous communication with all Gulf countries.

“We are also in communication with Iran, Israel and US. Our goal is the reinstatement of peace in the region through dialogue and diplomacy. We have also spoken to them about de-escalation and the opening of Strait of Hormuz,” he said.

Congress MP and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi says, India’s foreign policy has been reduced to PM Modi’s personal foreign policy.

“Everyone considers this a universal joke… Donald Trump knows exactly what PM Modi can and cannot do. If the Prime Minister is compromised, our foreign policy is compromised… He made an irrelevant speech in the Parliament yesterday,” he says

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“The country is working on arranging over 65 lakh metric ton gas. Along with that, India’s refining capacity has also been increased in the past 10 years. I want to assure the country that India has enough crude oil storage and non-stop supply arrangements.”

We are trying to procure gas and crude oil from all possible sources; efforts to continue in the coming days, PM Modi says in the Rajya Sabha.

“If West Asia crisis persists for a longer period, serious consequences are imminent,” he said.

PM Modi told the Rajya Sabha that India wants peace in West Asia through dialogue and diplomacy. He said India’s ultimate aim is de-escalation and opening of Strait of Hormuz.

“India’s attempt is to encourage all sections to peacefully resolve all issues,” he said.

“…It has been more than 3 weeks since the war in West Asia started. The war has caused a serious energy crisis in the world. For India, too, this situation is concerning. The war has impacted our trade routes. With this, the routine supply of petrol, diesel, gas and fertilisers has been affected,” PM Modi said in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

“Around one crore Indians live and work in the Gulf countries, and ensuring the safety of their lives and livelihoods is also a major concern for India.”

We are in touch with Iran, Israel and USA. We aim at resolving the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy, says PM Modi

The war in West Asia has triggered a massive energy crisis worldwide, including in India, says PM Modi in Rajya Sabha

On Monday, PM Modi outlined the government’s swift response to safeguard Indian nationals. He informed the Lower House that every Indian in the affected countries has been provided with the necessary assistance since the war broke out.

“Those who are injured are being ensured better medical treatment, and in such difficult circumstances, necessary assistance is being provided to the bereaved families,” he said.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on Monday addressed the Lok Sabha on the ongoing conflict in West Asia and the wide-ranging challenges it has posed for India. Noting that the crisis has now persisted for over three weeks, with deeply adverse consequences for the global economy and human lives, the Prime Minister underscored the urgency of resolution. Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Modi remarked, “The whole world is urging all parties for the earliest possible resolution of this crisis.”

The Government of India has called for an all-party meeting on March 25 (Wednesday) at 5 PM on the West Asia crisis.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting on Tuesday morning on the evolving situation in the Middle East. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, the three service chiefs, DRDO Chairman Dr Samir Kamat, and others were present at the meeting.

PM Modi’s Speech in Rajya Sabha Live: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address Rajya Sabha on the issues related to Middle East conflict today.