Congress MP Shashi Tharoor led the standing committee for external affairs in Parliament on Monday to select topics for discussion during its term. According to sources, the standing committee has selected 17 topics to be debated in the coming months before presenting its report to Parliament.
The majority of the standing committee members are new to the panel and eagerly helped in selecting the topics for discussion. Besides Dr Tharoor, the panel also includes senior members of Parliament such as Asaduddin Owaisi.
Numerous members have proposed for the standing committee to address the critical matter of the situation in West Asia and its consequences. India is closely monitoring the precarious situation in the region, as confirmed by government sources.
Former external affairs minister Dr Tharoor has successfully persuaded the committee that they can summon ministry officials to testify about the West Asia situation. Nevertheless, sources mentioned that it is merely to inform the committee about ongoing developments. They mentioned that it is not probable for the panel to create or present a report regarding this matter. A source indicated that since the issue is still developing, the committee cannot create a report on such a topic.
Besides the situation in West Asia, some lawmakers also want to address the matter of Indian migrants in these countries and their living conditions. They asked the chairman to assist in obtaining information on migrants who were promised jobs but ultimately deceived and placed in risky situations.
A source stated that it is a highly significant matter for India, as a large number of Indians reside in various countries worldwide and play a key role in contributing to India’s economy. Standing committee will also address issues related to neighboring countries, particularly events in Bangladesh following Sheikh Hasina’s removal, as well as Sri Lanka. India’s policy towards its neighboring nations will address all relevant issues under one topic. During the recent Parliament session, at an all-party meeting on Bangladesh, it was reported that Foreign Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had already promised that he would address India’s neighbourhood policy once the consultative committees were established.
Dr Tharoor leads the standing committee, while Dr Jaishankar will chair the consultative committee for external affairs. In addition, sources mentioned that the standing committee wishes to receive information on topics such as Passport Seva Kendras throughout the whole nation. The panel has currently chosen not to address the situation involving Ukraine and Russia.
Regarding the West Asia situation, India has consistently stated that war is not a viable resolution to any crisis. Similar to the situation in the past Ukraine crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all parties to show restraint. India strongly criticized the Hamas attack on Israel that occurred last year. The situation has worsened due to Israel’s ground invasion in Lebanon and Iran’s attack, potentially leading to a regional conflict. India has various concerns in the region, such as a significant diaspora, rising energy prices, and challenges faced by countries in the global south. Recently in New York, PM Modi met with Palestinian PM Mahmoud Abbas and had a phone conversation with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, expressing India’s willingness to assist in mediation efforts.