External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar emphasized that dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued to de-escalate tensions in West Asia. Speaking in the Lower House about the situation in West Asia, Dr. Jaishankar stated that the Indian government had issued a statement on the 20th of the previous month, expressing deep concerns, and had urged all parties to exercise restraint. He said that India continues to believe that dialogue and diplomacy are necessary to de-escalate the tensions.
The Minister stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is continuously monitoring the emerging developments, and relevant ministries are coordinating to ensure effective responses. Dr. Jaishankar said that the conflict has continued to intensify, and the security situation in the West Asia region has deteriorated significantly. He said that the conflict has spread to other countries with mounting destruction, and normal life and activities are affected.
The External Affairs Minister said that this ongoing conflict is of particular concern to India as it is a neighboring region. He said that there are one crore Indians who live and work in the Gulf nations, and a few thousand Indians are in Iran for study or employment. Dr. Jaishankar said that the region is key to India's energy security and includes many important suppliers of oil and gas. The Minister said that the Ministry of External Affairs has set up a dedicated special control room to monitor the situation and respond to queries. He said that as of yesterday, almost 67 thousand Indian nationals have returned to the country. He made the statement amidst opposition uproar as they were demanding discussion on this issue. Dr. Jaishankar also made a similar statement in the Rajya Sabha.