Guwahati: With the second phase of Parliament’s Budget session set to begin on March 9, the Congress has demanded a full-fledged short-duration discussion on the rapidly escalating conflict in West Asia, arguing that a mere suo motu statement by the government would be inadequate given the seriousness of the situation.
The party said the developments in the region, particularly the war involving Iran, Israel and the United States, carry significant implications for India’s economic interests, energy security and the safety of millions of Indian nationals working in the Gulf.
Congress leaders pointed out that although the second phase of the Budget session will run until April 2, the effective number of sittings will be limited because of holidays and festivals. Alongside discussions on the Appropriation Bill, the Finance Bill and the functioning of several ministries, the Opposition believes the deteriorating geopolitical situation in West Asia warrants urgent parliamentary deliberation.
The party emphasised that nearly 10 million Indians live and work across the Gulf region, sending back tens of billions of dollars in remittances annually. Any escalation in hostilities could directly affect their safety and livelihoods, while also impacting India’s energy imports and broader economic interests.
Congress also raised concerns about recent military developments in the region, including the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and the subsequent retaliatory attacks by Iran targeting Israel and American military installations across several Gulf countries. The party argued that these developments have widened the conflict beyond its original theatre and increased instability across the wider West Asian region.
The Opposition further flagged reports of an Iranian warship torpedoed by a U.S. submarine in international waters near Sri Lanka’s coast, describing the incident as unprecedented and potentially destabilising for the broader Indian Ocean region.
Congress leaders maintained that a government statement alone would not allow meaningful scrutiny or accountability, since such statements typically do not permit follow-up questions or clarifications from Members of Parliament. They argued that a structured short-duration discussion would enable Parliament to debate the strategic, economic and diplomatic implications of the crisis.
The party also criticised what it described as increasing pressure from the United States regarding India’s oil imports from Russia. It pointed to recent remarks by U.S. officials suggesting a temporary waiver on Russian oil purchases, saying the language used by Washington conveyed the impression that India was being granted concessions rather than exercising independent policy choices.
According to Congress, the evolving geopolitical dynamics have placed the government in a diplomatically uncomfortable position, with external pressures complicating India’s strategic autonomy. The party contended that India’s global standing appeared diminished and that the government had remained largely silent on key international developments, including the targeted killings of Iranian leaders and the expanding military confrontation in the region.
Congress also suggested that India appeared to be aligning too closely with the United States and Israel in its approach to the crisis, rather than maintaining a more independent foreign policy stance. The party contrasted this with earlier periods in India’s diplomatic history when leadership in New Delhi, it said, adopted firmer positions in the face of pressure from major powers.
The crisis intensified after the United States and Israel carried out coordinated strikes on Iran on February 28 that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran subsequently launched retaliatory attacks targeting Israel and U.S. military bases across several Gulf states, including the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
In recent days, the conflict has expanded further with a series of attacks and counter-attacks by both sides, raising fears of a broader regional war.
India has so far called for restraint from all sides and has urged that the conflict be resolved through dialogue and diplomatic engagement.