New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the ongoing West Asia tensions have shaken the world economy and will take a long time to recover. He also assured that the government is making all efforts to minimise the impact of the crisis on India.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on the West Asia crisis, PM Modi said, “West Asian war has impacted us all. I want to express the government’s stance on this war in front of the House and the people of India. This war has been going on for over 3 weeks. It has created a serious fuel issue in the world. The situation in India is worrying too. This has impacted our ways of business…”
VIDEO | Addressing Rajya Sabha on West Asia conflict, PM Modi (@narendramodi) said, “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… pic.twitter.com/LSvMDjXB8H
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 24, 2026
The Prime Minister also assured that the government is trying to procure gas and crude oil from all possible sources and efforts will continue in the coming days. He also assured the people of the country that India has enough crude oil storage and non-stop supply arrangements.
He said the ongoing West Asia crisis is a cause of concern for India while noting that if it persists for a longer period, serious consequences are imminent.
The Prime Minister said India wants peace in West Asia through dialogue and diplomacy. “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,” he added.
He emphasised that the government’s aim is de-escalation of the tensions and opening of Strait of Hormuz. He said India is trying to ensure safe commutes of the country’s ships even in a war situation through diplomacy.
“The Strait of Hormuz is one of the largest routes of global trade, especially for the transport of crude oil, gas, and fertilizers, which takes place in large quantities through this region. Since the war began, the movement of ships in the Strait of Hormuz has become very challenging. Despite these adverse conditions, our government has tried to create solutions through dialogue and diplomacy,” he said.
He also underscored that there is no other option for India but to become self-reliant.
“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. In past 11 years, 53 lakh MT strategic oil reserves have been created; work on 65 lakh MT additional capacity is on,” he said in the Upper House.
“Govt has started Rs 70,000-crore project to manufacture ships,” he added.
Noting that around one crore Indians live and work in the Gulf countries, PM Modi said that ensuring the safety of their lives and livelihoods is a major concern for India.
“All the countries have assured full safety for the Indians present there. However, it is very unfortunate that due to the attacks, some Indians have lost their lives and some have been injured. In such difficult circumstances, necessary assistance is being provided to their families and proper medical treatment is being ensured,” he said.
“Any threat to human life in this war is not in the interest of humanity, so India is making constant efforts to encourage all sides to reach a peaceful solution as soon as possible. In times of crisis, the safety of Indians both in the country and abroad is our top priority,” he added.
Asserting that the government is working with full sensitivity during this time of crisis, PM Modi said that more than 3,75,000 Indians have safely returned to India since the war began. “From Iran alone, more than 1,000 Indians have returned safely so far, including over 700 young people who were studying medicine.”