Modi Tells Lok Sabha: Hormuz Blockade Unacceptable, 10 Million Indians In Gulf Safe

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Lok Sabha on Monday amid the escalating Iran-Israel conflict, declaring that any obstruction of the Strait of Hormuz or international waterways was completely unacceptable to India, while assuring the nation that the government was fully prepared to protect the interests of the approximately 10 million Indians living across Gulf countries.

PM Modi stated categorically that attacks on commercial vessels and interference with the free passage of international waterways — particularly the Strait of Hormuz — ran counter to India's core interests. He said India was actively pursuing diplomatic channels to ensure the safe transit of Indian ships through the conflict zone, and underlined that the government had raised ethanol blending in petrol to 20 per cent as a concrete step towards reducing the country's dependence on imported fuel.

The Prime Minister said he had personally been in contact with Gulf leaders, all of whom had provided full assurances regarding the safety of Indian nationals in their countries. He informed the House that 24-hour helplines and outreach rooms had been established at Indian embassies across the region to ensure no Indian faced difficulty in accessing consular assistance.

Modi told the House that more than 3,75,000 Indians had returned safely to India since the war began. Nearly 1,000 Indians had been evacuated from Iran itself, including over 700 medical students. In a significant relief measure for families, the CBSE has postponed Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations scheduled in Gulf countries to ensure that the ongoing conflict does not disrupt the academic futures of Indian students studying there.

Acknowledging that India imports 60 per cent of its LPG requirements — a significant portion of which transits the Strait of Hormuz — the PM said the government was working on two simultaneous fronts: increasing domestic LPG production and diversifying import sources to reduce route dependence. He assured the House that maintaining smooth supply of petrol, diesel, and cooking gas for domestic consumers remained the government's foremost priority.