Jaishankar to Brief Parliament on West Asia Crisis Amid Escalating Iran Conflict

India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, is scheduled to brief Parliament on Monday regarding the rapidly escalating crisis in West Asia amid rising tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States.

The briefing will take place during the second phase of the Budget Session, which is expected to witness intense debate. The session is likely to begin with the Motion of Removal admitted against Om Birla, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

However, the deteriorating security situation in West Asia is expected to dominate proceedings. The opposition, particularly the Indian National Congress, has called for a comprehensive short-duration discussion on the issue rather than a simple government statement.

On Friday, Congress General Secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said a suo motu statement by the government would not be sufficient given the seriousness of the crisis.

“We need a full-fledged short-duration discussion on the West Asian situation caused by the aggression of the United States and Israel on Iran and the subsequent attacks by Iran on Gulf countries, along with the activities of the US Navy in the Indian Ocean,” Ramesh said.

He further highlighted the significant economic and humanitarian implications of the conflict for India. Nearly 10 million Indians are employed across the Gulf region, making their safety and livelihoods a matter of national concern.

“The lives, livelihoods, safety and security of millions of Indians in the region are directly affected. In addition, India receives around $50–60 billion in annual remittances from these countries, making it an issue of major economic importance,” he added.

Meanwhile, the situation has also disrupted civil aviation across the region. According to India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), more than 52,360 individuals have returned from the Gulf region to India amid the growing instability.

Air travel across the Middle East continues to face major disruptions as the escalating confrontation between the United States, Israel and Iran affects key Gulf aviation hubs. Since February 28, airports in major regional centres such as Dubai, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain have reported widespread flight cancellations, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.

The ripple effects have also been felt in India. At Kempegowda International Airport, 33 flights were cancelled on Friday due to airspace restrictions linked to the conflict. Similarly, flights from Kolkata to several Gulf destinations were suspended after overnight strikes in Abu Dhabi and Dubai prompted airlines to prioritise passenger safety. A flight operated by Flydubai had briefly landed in Kolkata on Thursday before further services were halted.

With tensions continuing to rise across West Asia, the issue is expected to become a central focus of parliamentary debate, reflecting both India’s strategic interests and the welfare of millions of its citizens living and working in the region.