Jairam Ramesh claimed the Modi government appears “shrunken and diminished,” asserting that India’s international stature is now at its weakest.
With the second half of the Budget Session scheduled to begin next week, the Congress on Friday (March 6, 2026) called for a full short-duration discussion in Parliament on the situation in West Asia, stating that a suo motu statement from the government alone would not be sufficient.
Speaking to PTI, Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh alleged that the Modi government has become “shrunken and diminished,” claiming that India’s global standing has never been as weak as it is today. He also said the government was making India play “second fiddle” not only to the United States but also to Israel.
Using a cricket analogy, Mr. Ramesh said the Modi government has been on a “sticky wicket” for a long time, with “googlies coming from Washington.”
“The second phase of the Budget Session will begin on March 9 and continue until April 2. Although the period spans 25 days, the actual number of sittings will be 17, as several important festivals and holidays fall during this time. The Appropriation Bill and the Finance Bill will need to be discussed, and there will also be debates on the functioning of four or five ministries. So, there is already a fixed schedule for this phase,” he said.
However, there are very many important issues, the Indo-U.S. trade deal, the continued blackmail by the United States when it comes to India’s purchases of oil from Russia, the targeted assassinations of the Supreme leader in Iran and large number of political and military leaders and the continued West Asia conflict that has expanded into other parts of West Asia, he said.
Mr. Ramesh said the US and Israel’s strikes on Iran, followed by Iran’s attacks on Gulf countries, have created a serious situation for India. He noted that nearly 10 million Indians work in the region, and their safety, livelihoods, and security could be affected.
He added that the region is economically important for India, as it receives around $50–60 billion in annual remittances from Indians working there. “It is therefore a very significant issue for us, and we will certainly demand an urgent discussion in Parliament on the situation in West Asia,” he said.
Referring to the reported incident of a US submarine torpedoing and sinking an Iranian warship in international waters near Sri Lanka, Ramesh said the development was extraordinary and unprecedented.