On Monday, March 9, 2026, there was a huge uproar in the Lok Sabha of the Parliament regarding the situation in West Asia. The opposition was demanding a full discussion from the government on this issue due to which the House proceedings had to be adjourned till 11 am the next day. External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar made it clear in the House that the biggest priority of the government is the security of about 1 crore Indians living in Gulf countries. In view of the worsening situation, till now more than 67 thousand Indians have returned home safely.
Why was there so much uproar and demand of the opposition in the Parliament?
Opposition leaders in the House like Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav rejected the government’s decision as merely making a statement. The opposition demanded a detailed discussion on this serious issue under Rule 193. Opposition MPs continuously came to the well with their demands, after which Presiding Officer Jagdambika Pal had to stop the proceedings of the House till Tuesday 10 March. On this day, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla kept himself away from the chair because an opposition motion against him was also in the list of discussion. This entire crisis started after the death of the Supreme Leader of Iran in a major attack on 28 February 2026.
What will be the impact on Indians living in Gulf countries?
The Government of India and the Ministry of External Affairs are fully alert amid the continuously deteriorating environment in West Asia. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that about 1 crore Indians work in Gulf countries and their safety is top priority for the government. In view of the danger, so far 67,000 Indian citizens have returned safely. The Ministry of External Affairs is especially working to evacuate Indian students and businessmen from Tehran. Along with this, India has taken a positive step on humanitarian grounds by allowing the Iranian ship to stop in Kochi on March 4 and provide technical assistance.
How is it directly impacting the common man’s pocket?
This foreign crisis is directly impacting the Indian economy and the kitchen of the common man. The opposition told in the House that due to the dispute between Gulf countries, the price of domestic LPG cylinder has increased by Rs 60. The price of commercial gas has also increased by Rs 115. There is annual trade of about $200 billion between India and Gulf countries. Due to problems in sea routes, there is a big threat to this trade due to which there is a possibility of energy crisis and inflation increasing in the coming days.