2 months ago
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Parrying the questions raised by the Opposition regarding the reported cardinal relation played by Pakistan in mediating betwixt the U.S. and Iran, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar connected Wednesday termed the neighbouring state a “dalal” and said that it had been playing this relation since 1981.
He was addressing an all-party gathering chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh connected the caller developments successful West Asia and their interaction connected India. Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri besides assured the gathering that India continued to support a strategical petroleum reserve of 74 days. While the state was not facing immoderate imminent vigor crisis, helium noted that the proviso rhythm for Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) had extended from 20 days to 45 days. This, helium said, should stabilise soon.
Responding to disapproval implicit India’s “silence”, Mr. Jaishankar asserted that with astir 1 crore Indians surviving successful West Asian countries, it was important for India’s strategical and economical interests to support a balanced position. India, helium said, remained successful a unsocial position, capable to pass with each sides.
Iran-Israel warfare updates connected March 25, 2026
Citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s caller talks with Iranian authorities, helium said 2 Indian ships had been allowed to sail done the Strait of Hormuz, portion 18 others inactive successful the portion would soon acceptable sail for Indian shores. He said that the U.S. continued to beryllium India’s biggest trading partner, portion Israel was a cardinal technological partner.
The External Affairs Minister besides said that the U.S. sanctions connected India had a agelong past and that erstwhile administrations successful Washington had deployed them successful past. While the Opposition “shamed” the government, helium said that India’s import of Russian lipid ne'er wholly stopped.
Barring the Trinamool Congress, each Opposition parties attended the meeting. Their questions covered India’s soundlessness connected the assassination of Iran’s precocious Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei; the timing of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s sojourn to Tel Aviv — 2 days earlier the U.S. and Israel launched strikes connected Iran; Pakistan’s relation arsenic a mediator; the emergence successful LPG prices owed to the ongoing crisis; and India’s committedness to the Non-Aligned Movement.
The gathering began with a 15‑minute presumption by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, aft which Mr. Jaishankar and Mr. Puri fielded astir of the Opposition’s questions. The Other NDA leaders contiguous did not intervene.
Congress Rajya Sabha subordinate Mukul Wasnik opened the questioning by highlighting Pakistan’s cardinal relation arsenic a mediator successful the crisis. According to sources, helium said that the Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance authorities had succeeded successful isolating Pakistan globally aft the 26/11 attacks, whereas contiguous Pakistan occupied a salient presumption successful planetary diplomacy.
Mr. Jaishankar, successful response, traced the past backmost to 1971, during the India‑Pakistan conflict, erstwhile Pakistan brokered connection betwixt the U.S. and China successful an effort to country India. If Pakistan’s existent mediatory relation is viewed arsenic a setback for Indian diplomacy, helium reportedly said, “then the setback began successful 1981, erstwhile Pakistan began moving arsenic interlocuter betwixt the U.S. and Iran”.
Mr. Jaishankar besides pointed to Pakistan’s relation successful mediating talks betwixt the U.S. and the Taliban successful 2004. “We don’t tally astir asking countries what benignant of brokerage (dalali) we tin do,” Mr. Jaishankar reportedly said.
Senior CPI(M) person John Brittas asked whether the authorities had adopted “silence arsenic statecraft”, pointing retired that portion India was speedy to criticise Iran’s “egregious” onslaught connected the West Asian countries, nary specified remark had been made erstwhile the U.S. and Israel archetypal struck Iran. Speaking successful a akin vein, AIMIM person Asaduddin Owaisi said India was “silent connected the war”, “silent connected Ayatollah Khamenei’s assassination”, and “silent erstwhile the U.S. torpedoed an Iranian vessel successful the Indian Ocean”.
Mr. Brittas besides flagged the semipermanent interaction of the situation connected LNG proviso lines from Qatar, urging the authorities to contiguous a White Paper connected the broader economical implications. Qatar supplies 41% of India’s LNG requirement.
Samajwadi Party person Dharmendra Yadav and AAP person Sanjay Singh questioned the timing of the Prime Minister’s sojourn to Tel Aviv connected the eve of the conflict. NCP (Sharad Pawar) person Supriya Sule asked what “tangible benefit” India had gained by aligning with the U.S. and Israel. Sarfraz Ahmed of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha asked whether India inactive considered itself portion of the Non-Aligned Movement.
Speaking to presspersons aft the meeting, elder Congress person Tariq Anwar described it arsenic “unsatisfactory.”
“We sought clarification from the government, but the gathering was unsatisfactory,” helium said, reiterating the Congress’s request for a structured statement successful some Houses of Parliament.
Mr. Brittas added, “All the Opposition leaders who spoke said that the authorities should person taken a presumption connected the unilateral onslaught by the United States against a sovereign, autarkic country, Iran.”
