In a New Delhi all-party meeting, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar rejected Pakistan's offer to mediate in the US-Iran conflict, stating India does not engage in 'dalali' or brokering. He assured lawmakers of adequate fuel stocks and noted Prime Minister Modi's request to President Trump to end the war soon.
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told an all-party meeting on Wednesday that India, unlike Pakistan, does not engage in 'dalali' or brokering, downplaying Islamabad's positioning as a mediator in the US-Iran conflict. The session, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, addressed concerns over the West Asia crisis. Jaishankar informed lawmakers that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken by phone with President Donald Trump on Tuesday, urging him to end the war at the earliest as it was harming the global economy. Modi also supported peace restoration efforts and keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and secure. The government assured sufficient fuel stocks with five more tankers en route and denied silence on Ayatollah Khamenei's killing, noting India's good ties with Tehran. The Iranian embassy had opened its gates after five days. Pakistan's Field Marshal Asim Munir has been pushing as a key negotiator, a role Jaishankar said Pakistan has sought since 1981. As many as 18 Indian ships or those with Indian crew remain stuck in the Strait of Hormuz. Opposition leaders including Congress's Mukul Wasnik, CPI(M)'s John Brittas, NCP's Supriya Sule, AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi, SP's Dharmendra Yadav, and AAP's Sanjay Singh raised questions on Pakistan's role, energy autonomy, Russian oil purchases, Qatar dependence, and PM Modi's recent Israel trip. Owaisi proposed an Asian security axis with India, Japan, China, and South Korea. When accused of silence by Brittas, Jaishankar replied, 'We were never silent. We have been talking with everybody, commenting, posting, responding.' Home Minister Amit Shah explained LPG supplies. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju later said opposition suggestions were heard, queries clarified, and parties agreed to stand together in the challenging situation. Ministers present included Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Health Minister JP Nadda, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, and Fisheries Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh.
