The government has convened an all-party meeting on Wednesday, March 25, to discuss the ongoing conflict in West Asia triggered by the Iran-US war. The meeting will be held at 5 PM in the Parliament complex.
The move comes amid criticism from Opposition parties over India’s stance on the escalating tensions and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent address in the Lok Sabha.
High-Level Security Review Held
The development follows a review meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by CDS General Anil Chauhan, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, General Upendra Dwivedi, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, and DRDO Chairman Samir Kamat, among others, to assess the situation.
PM Modi’s Remarks Draw Opposition Criticism
Addressing Parliament on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the government was working to minimise the impact of the conflict on India. He termed attacks on commercial ships and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz as “unacceptable” and flagged concerns over fuel, fertilisers and national security.
“As far as diplomacy is concerned, India’s standing has been very clear. From the beginning, we had expressed our deep concern on this conflict. I spoke to all leaders of West Asia and urged everyone to reduce tension and end this conflict. We have opposed attacks on people, transport and energy. Attacks on commercial ships and obstructions in Hormuz strait are unacceptable,” he said.
However, Opposition leaders criticised the speech, alleging that the Prime Minister did not explicitly condemn the US-Israeli attack on Iran. According to a PTI report, Congress described his remarks as “a master class in self-boasts, cowardice and partisan dialogue-baazi”.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also criticised the response as delayed. “Had the Prime Minister addressed the nation in the very 1st week, he could have explained the reasons behind his visit to Israel. He could have explained why, following the passing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, it took us 3 full days to officially convey our condolences,” she told ANI.
Shipping Concerns Amid Hormuz Disruption
In his address, the Prime Minister acknowledged that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz has made the movement of crude oil, gas and fertilisers challenging. He said the government is taking steps to ensure adequate LPG supply.
“We are relentlessly trying to minimise the impact on India. The government is working on short, medium and long term strategies. Today the fundamentals of the Indian economy are strong,” he added.
Despite disruptions, several Indian-flagged vessels continue to transit the Strait. Two LPG carriers from the UAE and one crude oil carrier from Saudi Arabia are currently headed to Indian ports.
The MV Jag Vasant is expected to reach Kandla port on March 26, while MV Pine Gas is scheduled to arrive in New Mangalore on March 28.
