External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on Monday made a detailed statement in both Houses of Parliament on the deteriorating situation in West Asia, calling for dialogue and diplomacy to de-escalate the conflict and revealing that 67,000 Indian nationals have already returned home from the region as the crisis deepens into its ninth day.

Jaishankar told the Lok Sabha that India had issued a statement as early as February 20 expressing deep concern over the situation and urging all sides to exercise restraint. "India continues to believe that dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued to de-escalate the tensions," he said, reaffirming New Delhi's consistent position of non-alignment in the conflict while underscoring the urgent need for a negotiated path forward. He confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is personally and continuously monitoring developments, with relevant ministries coordinating to ensure effective responses.

The EAM was direct about why this conflict is of particular concern to New Delhi. Approximately one crore Indians live and work across Gulf nations, while several thousand Indian nationals are present in Iran for study or employment purposes. Beyond the human dimension, Jaishankar emphasised that West Asia is central to India's energy security — home to several of India's most critical oil and gas suppliers, and connected to India through the now-imperilled Strait of Hormuz.

The conflict, he noted, has continued to intensify and has now spread beyond Iran to other countries in the region, with mounting destruction and severe disruption to normal life and economic activity.

On the evacuation front, Jaishankar confirmed that as of Sunday, approximately 67,000 Indian nationals had returned to India from the affected region. The Ministry of External Affairs has established a dedicated special control room to monitor the situation around the clock and respond to queries from citizens and their families.

The Minister's statement was delivered amid significant opposition uproar in the Lok Sabha, with members demanding a full parliamentary discussion on the crisis. Jaishankar made an identical statement in the Rajya Sabha later in the day.