Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addressed the Rajya Sabha amid the ongoing West Asia crisis and asked Indian citizens to prepare to face possible challenges and stated that the government was working to secure gas and crude oil from all available sources.
During his speech, Modi said the government has formed seven empowered groups to plan strategies on fuel, supply chains and fertilisers, among other areas, to deal with the impact of the crisis.
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He also spoke to US President Donald Trump over phone on Tuesday and reiterated that India supports the early restoration of peace in West Asia. The Prime Minister added that ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open and safe is important for the international community.
PM Modi in Rajya Sabha on West Asia Crisis: Key Remarks
- This war has now continued for more than three weeks. It has created a severe energy crisis around the world. For India too, this situation is worrying.
- Our goal is to restore peace in the region through dialogue and diplomacy. We talked to them about de-escalation and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
- India has opposed attacks on civilians, civilian infrastructure, energy and transport infrastructure. Through diplomacy, India is making continuous efforts to ensure safe passage of Indian ships even in this war-like environment. India has proposed dialogue as the only way to solve this problem.
- Since the start of the war, more than 375,000 Indians have returned safely to India. From Iran alone, more than 1,000 Indians have returned safely, including more than 700 young students pursuing their medical education. Our government is working with complete sensitivity during this crisis.
- Our efforts are to ensure that oil and gas supplies reach India wherever possible. The results of these efforts are visible to the nation. In recent days, ships carrying crude oil and liquefied petroleum gas from many countries have arrived in India.
- If the global conditions created by this war continue for a long time, dire consequences are inevitable. Therefore, India is accelerating the resilience-building measures it has taken in recent years.
- Continuing efforts are being made to ensure that India suffers as little impact as possible. The fundamentals of our economy are strong, and the government is closely monitoring the rapidly changing situation.
- It is the constant effort of the government that farmers should not bear the burden of any crisis.
- In the coming times, this crisis will be a great test for our country, and the cooperation of countries will be crucial to achieving success.
- As we see, the situation in this war is changing moment by moment. Therefore, I would also like to say to my fellow citizens that we must be prepared for every challenge. There is a strong possibility that the negative effects of this war will continue for a long time. But I assure the people of the country that the government is alert and ready, working seriously on the strategy and taking all necessary decisions.
