Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Middle East conflict in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, March 24. Amid the disruption of the supply chain due to the ongoing tensions, he assured that India has enough storage and a non-stop supply arrangement of crude oil.
PM Modi said that the government is trying to procure gas and crude oil from all possible sources and the efforts will continue in the coming days. However, PM Modi said that if the West Asia crisis persists for a longer period, serious consequences are imminent.
Highlighting the concerns due to the war, 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."
Speaking on the closure of the Hormuz Strait, he said, “Many ships from around the world are stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, and a large number of Indian crew members are on board them, which is also a major concern for India. In such a difficult situation, it is necessary that from this Upper House of India's Parliament, a united voice for peace and dialogue should go out to the entire world. Since the start of the war, I have held two rounds of phone conversations with the heads of state of most countries in West Asia. We are in continuous contact with all the Gulf countries, and we are also in touch with Iran, Israel, and the United States.”
Assuring the safety of the Indians living in the region, PM Modi said, "About 1 crore Indians live and work in the Gulf countries. Safeguarding their life and livelihoods is a matter of great concern for India. Several ships are stuck in the Strait of Hormuz. Indian crew members are stuck on those ships in large numbers. This too is a cause of major concern for India. In such a difficult situation, it is important that India's Upper House sends out a united voice of peace and dialogue."
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