Modi Govt to hold all-party meet on West Asia conflict today. What's on agenda and who all are attending?
The government has called an all-party meeting to discuss the escalating West Asia crisis, but Rahul Gandhi will not attend due to prior commitments. With tensions rising and vital maritime routes disrupted, this meeting aims to unify India's response to the unfolding situation.
The Union government has convened an all-party meeting on the West Asia crisis today. The meeting will be held at 5 pm, news agencies said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to chair the meeting, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar expected to be present, they said.
The meeting comes amid escalating tensions in West Asia, which have disrupted critical maritime corridors and raised concerns about the safety of Indian nationals in Gulf nations.
On Tuesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting 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.
On Sunday, PM Modi chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to review the situation and ongoing and proposed mitigating measures in the context of on going West Asia Conflict.
PM Modi directed the setting up of a group of ministers and secretaries to work dedicatedly to deal with the situation arising due to West Asia conflict.
PM Modi's Parliament Address
The all-party meeting comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address in Parliament on the West Asia situation. In his statement in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, PM Modi said the government has constituted seven empowered groups to evolve strategies on fuel, supply chains and fertilisers, among others, and stem the impact of the Iran-Israel-US conflict.
In his address to the Lok Sabha on Monday, Modi said the difficult global conditions caused by the West Asia conflict are likely to persist for a long time and called upon the nation to remain prepared and united, just as it had during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Four Weeks of Conflict
The conflict in West Asia is in its fourth week, disrupting trade routes through the Strait of Hormuz. Tensions escalated following the killing of 86-year-old Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel on 28 February.
In retaliation, Iran targeted Israeli and US assets across several Gulf countries, causing further disruptions to the waterway and impacting international energy markets as well as global economic stability.
Why is Rahul Gandhi not attending ?
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, told reporters at the Parliament House Complex that he would not be able to attend the all-party meeting, as he is scheduled to attend a programme in Kerala.
Earlier, the Congress had hit out at the prime minister, saying that his statement on the crisis was a "prepared text full of self-praise" for all that he claims to have accomplished in the last 11 years.
In his remarks, the prime minister had said that West Asia was important to India as nearly one crore Indians lived and worked in the Gulf countries. A high number of Indian crew members worked in commercial ships that sail in these seas.
"Due to these varied reasons, India's concerns are naturally greater. Therefore, it is essential that a unanimous and united voice from India's Parliament on this crisis reaches the world," he had said.
Modi-Trump talks
On 24 March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he received a call from President Trump and had a useful exchange of views on the situation in West Asia.
“India supports de-escalation and restoration of peace at the earliest. Ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, secure and accessible is essential for the whole world. We agreed to stay in touch regarding efforts towards peace and stability,” Modi said.
(With agency inputs)
About the Author
Gulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics. Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience.<br><br> Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times.<br><br> Jeelani’s tenure at LiveMint and previous experience at print and digital newsrooms have honed his skills in creating compelling text and video stories, explainers, and analysis that resonate with a diverse viewership.<br><br> Before moving to New Delhi in 2015, Jeelani was based in Uttar Pradesh, where he worked for five years as a reporter. In 2018, Jeelani was one of the two Indian journalists selected for the Alfred Friendly Fellowship in the US. There, he attended training workshops on reporting and data journalism, and he was attached to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in Minnesota, where he worked as a reporter.<br><br> Jeelani is a Bachelor's in Chemistry and holds a Masters Degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim University. Outside work, he enjoys poetry, cricket and movies.