PM Modi in Lok Sabha: Prime Minister Narendra Modi informed the Lok Sabha that India has enough stocks of fuel, gas, urea and food supplies amid the ongoing war in West Asia. Prime Minister Modi also said the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is unacceptable and India is in talks with all partner nations to establish peace and de-escalation in the region. PM Modi said that a large quantity of crude oil, gas, fertilisers and many essential items comes to India through the Strait of Hormuz route.
“We have expressed our deep concern regarding this conflict from the beginning. I have spoken to all the leaders of West Asia. I have requested them to reduce the tensions and end the conflict. India has condemned the attacks on civilians, energy and transport-related infrastructure. Attacks on commercial ships and the blockade of international trade routes like Hormuz are unacceptable. India, through diplomacy, even amid the war, is continuously working to ensure the safe passage of ships coming to the country,” said PM Modi.
Calling for an end to the Iran war, PM Modi said India has always supported the welfare of humanity and peace. “I reiterate that the only solution to this problem is dialogue and diplomacy. All our efforts are directed towards de-escalating tensions and ending this conflict. Putting anyone’s life at risk in this war is not in the interest of humanity. Therefore, India’s effort is to encourage all parties to reach a peaceful resolution at the earliest,” said PM Modi.
The Prime Minister further said, “Since the war began, the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz has become very challenging. Despite this, our government has made efforts to ensure that the supply of petrol, diesel, and gas is not severely impacted. As we all know, the country imports 60% of its LPG requirement. Due to uncertainty in supply, the government has prioritised domestic LPG consumers. At the same time, domestic production of LPG is also being increased. Continuous efforts have also been made to ensure that the supply of petrol and diesel across the country remains smooth.”
PM Modi said India has extensive trade relations with war-torn and conflict-affected countries and the region where conflict is ongoing is also a crucial pathway for trade with other countries of the world, particularly for a large portion of our crude oil and gas needs. “This region is important to us for another reason as well. Nearly 1 crore Indians live and work in the Gulf countries. Commercial ships operate there. The number of Indian crew members is also very high. For these various reasons, India’s concerns are naturally greater. Therefore, it is essential that a unified voice and common consensus from Parliament regarding this crisis reaches the world,” said PM Modi.
Talking about the country’s petroleum reserves, Prime Minister Modi said that India has prioritised storage of crude oil for times of crisis in the last decade. “Today, India has a strategic petroleum reserve of more than 53 lakh metric tonnes, and work is underway to create reserves of more than 65 lakh metric tonnes. The reserves held by our oil companies are separate. In the last 11 years, our refining capacity has also increased significantly,” said PM Modi.
Assuring the country of sufficient food supplies, PM Modi said that the impact of the war on agriculture is being debated. “The farmers of our country have filled our grain reserves. Therefore, India has adequate food stocks. It is also our endeavour that sowing for the Kharif season takes place properly. The government has made adequate arrangements for fertilizers to deal with such situations. In the past as well, our government did not allow the burden of global crises to fall on farmers,” said PM Modi, citing the example of the Covid-19 crisis.
Prime Minister Modi said that since the West Asia conflict, more than 3,75,000 Indians have returned safely. “From Iran, nearly 1,000 Indians have returned safely so far, of which over 700 are medical students,” said PM Modi.
The Prime Minister said that every Indian in the affected countries has been provided assistance. “I have spoken over the phone with the heads of state of most West Asian countries for two rounds. All have assured the safety of Indians.
PM Modi said that the difficult conditions created in the world by this war are likely to have lasting effects for a long time, India must be prepared and remain united. The Prime Minister said that the war is having a serious impact on the global economy and people’s lives, and that is why the world is urging all parties for a swift resolution to this conflict.
