India Prime Minister addresses Lok Sabha on West Asia crisis and national security

Key facts

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Lok Sabha (LS) regarding the West Asia conflict, highlighting its impact on India’s energy security and the safety of nearly 1 crore Indian citizens in the region.
• The Government of India has facilitated the return of approximately 1,000 Indians from Iran and established 24/7 helplines through Indian missions for on-ground support.
• India has diversified its energy imports from 27 to 41 countries over the last 11 years and currently imports Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from 41 nations.
• The country maintains Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) of 5.3 million metric tonnes (MMT), with plans to add an additional 6.5 MMT to strengthen fuel security.
• Ethanol blending initiatives have resulted in a reduction of 4.5 crore barrels of oil imports annually.
• India’s renewable energy capacity has reached approximately 250 GW, including 140 GW of solar power and 40 lakh rooftop solar installations.
• Domestic coal production has exceeded 100 crore tonnes, while the agriculture sector has been supported by the deployment of over 22 lakh solar pumps.
• The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has cancelled examinations in the Middle East due to the ongoing crisis.