India has deplored the attack on the Thai-flagged cargo ship, Mayuree Naree, in the Strait of Hormuz, while confirming the ship was bound for Kandla port, Gujarat. It condemned the commercial ship being made a target amid the ongoing conflict.The ministry of external affairs, in a statement, said that targeting the Thai cargo ship and endangering the lives of innocent civilians should be avoided. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared the stance on X with the caption, “Statement regarding ship bound for Kandla, India.”It said, “We have seen reports about the attack on a Thai ship, Mayuree Naree, in the Straits of Hormuz on 11 March. The ship was bound for Kandla in India. India deplores the fact that commercial shipping is being made a target of military attacks in the ongoing conflict in West Asia.”It also denounced the innocent lives lost in the recent attacks, which included two Indians, while one went missing, and criticised the increasing intensity of the attacks.“Precious lives, including those of Indian citizens, have already been lost in multiple such attacks in the earlier phase of this conflict, and the intensity and lethality of the attacks only seem to be increasing,” it said.It further urged the exclusion of commercial ships from the attacks.“India reiterates that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, should be avoided,” the statement read.A Thailand-flagged commercial ship was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, which was headed to India. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards later claimed responsibility for the attack. The Thai transport ministry, in a statement, said that three of the 23 crew members on board were missing.

NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha during a discussion on the Opposition’s resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla, accusing the Congress leader of poor attendance and spreading misinformation about not being allowed to speak in the House.Amit Shah said Rahul Gandhi’s absence from parliamentary proceedings coincided with several foreign trips, claiming the Congress leader was often abroad during key sessions such as the Budget discussion.

“The opposition leader Rahul Gandhi is a senior Congress leader and is often active in public life. During Lok Sabha sessions, major party events and elections take place, and senior leaders naturally interact with the public and express their views. This is normal and has happened with many leaders, not just Rahul ji. But the question is, if he was absent from the House, where was he? He was on trips abroad, to Germany in winter 2025, Vietnam, England, Singapore, Malaysia, and other countries, for a total of 60 days. It is purely coincidental that these trips coincided with budget sessions. Whenever there is a budget discussion, he seems to be abroad. Then he complains that he is not allowed to speak. How can he speak from a foreign country? There is no video-conference facility here; otherwise, he could have participated remotely…Should I also comment on the opposition’s conduct? For example, when the Prime Minister was seated at the Treasury Bench, some opposition members ran up and hugged him, this has never happened before. It has never happened that members of Opposition parties blow flying kisses or wink at ruling party members. Honestly, I even hesitate to speak about it.”Amit Shah said data from previous Lok Sabhas showed Rahul Gandhi’s attendance was consistently below the national average.“In 17th Lok Sabha, his attendance was 51%. National avergae was 66%. In 16th Lok Sabha, his attendance was 52%. National avergae was 80%. In 15th Lok Sabha, his attendance was 43%. National avergae was 76%,” Amit Shah said while addressing the House.He also accused Rahul Gandhi of failing to participate in several key parliamentary discussions during earlier terms.“…In the 16th Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi did not participate in the vote of thanks to the President’s address in 2014, 2015, 2017, or 2018. He also did not take part in any discussions on the Union Budget in the 16th Lok Sabha. In fact,… he did not participate in the discussion on any government bills. In the 16th, 17th, 19th, 20th, and 21st sessions, he did not attend the discussion on the President’s address. In the 19th, 20th, 22nd, and 23rd sessions, he did not participate in discussions on the Union Budget, and except for one bill, he did not take part in any other legislative discussions. In the 18th Lok Sabha, he did not participate in the discussion on the Union Budget… After four decades, it is regrettable that his party has brought a motion that questions the integrity of the Speaker, who has always upheld the dignity of the House.”The Opposition’s resolution seeking the removal of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla was later rejected by a voice vote in the House, effectively defeating the no-confidence motion.Amit Shah described the move against the Speaker as unprecedented in recent decades and said such actions damage parliamentary traditions.“This is not ordinary. After about 4 decades, a No-Confidence Motion against Lok Sabha Speaker has been brought. It is unfortunate for Parliamentary politics and this House,” Amit Shah said.Defending the role of the Speaker, the home minister said questioning the office of the Speaker undermines the credibility of India’s democratic institutions.“I want to inform the entire House that when the present Speaker was appointed, the leaders of both sides of the House together escorted him to the Chair. This shows that both the ruling party and the Opposition must provide the Speaker with a free and impartial environment to discharge his duties and support him in fulfilling those responsibilities. Today, while disagreement with the Speaker’s decisions can be expressed, the rules of the Lok Sabha consider the Speaker’s decision to be final. However, contrary to this tradition, the Opposition has raised questions about the Speaker’s integrity.”Amit Shah also criticised Rahul Gandhi for demanding a debate based on remarks made at a press conference.“…He suddenly had an idea – have a debate on his own press conference. This is not a market. This is the Lok Sabha…From your great grandfather to your grandmother to your father, there were tall leaders in India. Lok Sabha didn’t have a debate on anyone’s press conference. If he expects that his “great press conference”, which was based on lies, will be debated in the House, then Om Birla did a favour to the House by not letting its standards fall.”Responding to allegations that opposition leaders were not allowed to speak, Shah said the claims were misleading and pointed to the speaking time allotted to Congress MPs.“LoP has grievances that he is not allowed to speak, that the voice of LoP is stifled. I would like to ask him who will decide who has to speak? Speaker? No, you have to decide this. But when it is a chance to speak, you are seen in Germany, in England. Then he complains…Congress MPs spoke for 157 hours and 55 minutes in the 18th Lok Sabha. How much did the LoP speak? Why did you not speak? Which Speaker stopped you? Nobody can. Misinformation is spread to defame the Lok Sabha.”The home minister said that parliamentary rules empower the Speaker to maintain order in the House, including the authority to remove unparliamentary language from official records.“The list of unparliamentary words used in this House was not created during a single tenure. It has evolved over time, from the very beginning of the House’s existence, through the efforts of many distinguished individuals who have presided over this high office. The rules for conducting the House and the list of unparliamentary words are binding on all members. It cannot be said that these rules do not apply to us. The Constitution has given members certain rights, but it has not granted anyone any special privileges. There is no Emergency, and no one has extraordinary powers beyond what the Constitution provides.”He said the functioning of Parliament is governed by established rules and traditions developed over decades.“Sadan koi mela nahi hai. Parliament runs according to rules. Everyone speaks according to the rules. No one has the right to disobey Parliament’s rules and speak. To those who say this is happening because of the BJP, let me tell them that these rules were not formed during our time; they have continued since Nehru ji’s era. I am ready to debate that Congress has broken Parliament’s rules many times,” Shah said.Emphasising the importance of trust between the ruling side and the Opposition, Amit Shah said the Speaker acts as a neutral custodian of the House.“I will speak later about the questions raised by the Opposition today, but first I would like to say that the spirit and the long-standing tradition of this House are based on mutual trust. The House functions on the basis of trust between the ruling side and the Opposition. For both sides, the Speaker of the House acts as the custodian of its functioning. However, there are established rules on how the Lok Sabha is to be conducted, and these rules have been framed by the House itself. Within these rules, we can raise issues related to our rights, and members of the Opposition can do the same.”He also referred to the procedural history of motions against the Speaker, saying such measures were extremely rare.“Under Article 96, when a motion to remove the Speaker is discussed, the presiding officers concerned will not chair the House. What happened earlier? It has happened three times before, each time, the Congress party was in power when the motion came up. The tradition has been that when a no-confidence motion is discussed against the Speaker, the Speaker does not occupy the Chair. In all three instances, the House was presided over for 14 days by other officers. Om Birla is the only Speaker who has demonstrated moral courage…”Amit Shah also accused the Opposition of attempting to weaken parliamentary institutions and said allegations against the Speaker damage India’s democratic image internationally.“…The world recognises the strength and prestige of India’s democratic system. When allegations are made against the head of this House, questions are raised not only within the country but also globally about our democratic processes. That is why, generally, a no-confidence motion against the Speaker is rarely brought. Members can go to the Speaker’s chamber and discuss their concerns. The Speaker listens to members from both sides. However, a very strange situation has been created here, when members go to the chamber, an atmosphere is created as if the Speaker’s security itself is under threat. Nothing could be more unfortunate than this. What kind of system do they want? The position of the Speaker has been placed above party lines and is meant to function as a neutral mediator. Yet, questions are now being raised about the very person entrusted with this mediating role. I will explain later why such questions are being raised. For 75 years, both Houses of Parliament have strengthened the foundations of our democracy to great depths. Today, however, the Opposition has raised a serious question mark over it.”He further alleged that the Opposition’s motion itself contained procedural errors and had to be corrected before it was accepted.“…The Speaker’s office gave them an opportunity to correct the multiple mistakes in their submission. When they realised they had to make the corrections, the notice was accepted. This reflects both high moral ground and seriousness in the House. The high moral ground is shown by the fact that, even though the no-confidence motion was not in accordance with the rules on two occasions, Speaker Om Birla gave them a chance to submit the notice properly. The motion was not originally in line with the rules, and yet the Speaker adhered to fairness. Some members have complained that they are not allowed to speak, claiming microphone issues… Anyone who does not follow the rules or maintain discipline will have their microphone turned off, and that is how it should be.”Amit Shah also criticised the Opposition over alleged mistakes in the notice submitted for the motion.“…Perhaps they submitted the motion half-heartedly. The whole country and the world know that the year is 2026, yet they mentioned 2025 on the notice. They may have thought that the Speaker could reject it. A proper motion must be attached to the notice, but they did not do so. Once this was brought to their attention, they withdrew the notice, and a second notice was submitted. Regarding the second notice, except for the actual xerox. According to the rules, a member must submit a notice with an actual signature. Let us assume there is an extraordinary circumstance and that Opposition members want to bring a no-confidence motion before the Speaker… The House will run according to the rules of the Lok Sabha, not according to any party’s rules.”The home minister also rejected allegations that the government had suppressed opposition voices, pointing instead to the period of the Emergency.“We never suppressed voice of opposition; voice of opposition was suppressed during Emergency when leaders were put in jail,” he said.

File photo: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

NEW DELHI: A resolution seeking the removal of Om Birla as Speaker was defeated in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday by a voice vote amid protests and sloganeering by opposition members demanding an apology from Union home minister Amit Shah.With Speaker Birla absent during the debate, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who was presiding over the proceedings, announced that the no-confidence motion had been rejected after the vote.

Opposition members continued their protests in the House, prompting Pal to urge them to return to their seats so that the motion could be put to vote. As the protests persisted, he proceeded with the voice vote, after which the resolution was declared defeated and the House was adjourned for the day.

Amit Shah criticises opposition over motion

Earlier, Shah strongly criticised the opposition for bringing the motion against the Speaker, saying such an occurrence was rare in parliamentary history.“It is not an ordinary occurrence as after nearly four decades such a motion has been brought against the Speaker,” Shah said, according to PTI.He said it was unfortunate for parliamentary politics that opposition parties were questioning the integrity of the Speaker.“According to the established history of this House, its proceedings are conducted on the basis of mutual trust. The Speaker serves as a neutral custodian, representing both the ruling party and the opposition,” Shah said.He added that the House would function according to its rules and not the rules of any political party.“The House will be run by its own rules and not by the rules of a party,” Shah said.

Opposition protests disrupt proceedings

During Shah’s remarks, opposition members objected to certain statements and began shouting slogans, demanding that the home minister apologise.The protests disrupted the proceedings of the House and continued as the motion was put to vote.Shah also said the Bharatiya Janata Party had spent a long period in the opposition but had never brought a no-confidence motion against a Speaker.He said that in India’s parliamentary history, such motions had been introduced only a few times.“This is a regrettable event for both parliamentary politics and the House. Because the Speaker does not belong to any party, the Speaker belongs to the House,” Shah said.He added that questioning the integrity of the Speaker amounted to casting doubts on democratic processes.

Here are top 5 updates of the day

IRCTC tells vendors to switch cooking methods as Iran war disrupts LNG flow

Indian Railways has asked licensees at station food outlets to switch to alternate cooking methods such as microwaves and induction stoves after a reported cut in LNG supplies linked to the West Asia conflict. The directive, issued through Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, applies to food plazas, refreshment rooms and Jan Aahar outlets across railway stations as disruptions in the Middle East affect energy supplies to India.Read full story

PM Modi assures help for Indians stranded in Gulf amid Middle East crisis

Prime minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the Centre would provide all possible assistance to Indians stranded in the Gulf amid the ongoing Middle East crisis, adding that the government is closely monitoring the situation. Addressing a rally in Kochi, he said India would not abandon its citizens abroad and was working to ensure support for Indians in West Asia.Read full story

Where is Iran’s Supreme Leader? Officials drop hint on Mojtaba Khamenei’s condition

Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is “safe and sound” despite reports suggesting he was wounded during the ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel, the son of Iran’s president confirmed. The statement comes as uncertainty persists over the cleric’s whereabouts after several days without a public appearance. Yousef Pezeshkian, son of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, said he checked with contacts after hearing rumours that Mojtaba Khamenei had been injured. He later said they confirmed Khamenei was “safe and sound.”Read full story

Report says Iran was close to acquiring China’s ‘aircraft-carrier killer’ missile

A report suggested that just days before tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel escalated, Tehran was close to acquiring one of China’s most feared anti-ship weapons, the CM-302, often dubbed an “aircraft-carrier killer.” According to reporting cited by the South China Morning Post, a deal for the missile, the export version of the YJ-12, was nearing completion before Beijing publicly denied the claim.Read full story

India buys 30 million barrels of Russian crude after US waiver

India has bought about 30 million barrels of unsold Russian crude after the United States granted a 30-day waiver allowing purchases of shipments already stranded at sea, according to Bloomberg. The report said Indian refiners quickly secured cargoes already positioned in Asian waters, providing an immediate alternative as disruptions affected oil flows from the Middle East.Read full story

NEW DELHI: An Air India Express Boeing 737 MAX with 138 people on board made a hard landing in Phuket on Wednesday. The aircraft, which had taken off from Hyderabad, reportedly bounced once after the hard touchdown and then on the second contact with the runway, both the nose wheels got detached. It then got stuck on the runway and the airport was closed for flights till its sole airstrip becomes available again after required checks.Luckily no one on board was injured. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is in touch with Thailand aviation authorities. The aircraft is grounded there and the airline will send its engineers to repair the same. “The aircraft (VT-BWQ) operating flight IX 938 (Hyderabad-Phuket) was involved in suspected hard landing with bounce while landing at runway 09, Phuket. Passengers were deplaned on the runway and taken to terminal building. The aircraft was towed to the bay. On March 8, 2026, both the nose wheels were replaced as routine maintenance. Investigation will be carried out by appropriate authority after consultation with Thailand Aviation Investigation Authorities, Thailand being State of occurrence,” said a senior DGCA official.

An AI Express spokesperson said: “We confirm that our Hyderabad-Phuket flight on 11 March experienced an issue with the nose wheel at Phuket Airport. The crew followed all standard protocols, and guests were deplaned. We thank our guests, the Phuket airport authorities, and all stakeholders for their cooperation.” The flight with 132 passengers and six crew members on board had taken off from Hyderabad at 6.23 am and landed at 11.25 am (all timings local). A senior B737 captain said: “It’s a clear case of a hard landing, with nose wheel damage on the second touch down. Best would have been to take off again after the aircraft bounced. However only a probe can say what exactly happened. It’s also possible the aircraft had a problem with the nose wheel. The pilots would have done their best to make a safe landing.”Experienced pilots say the runway at Phuket has a pronounced upslope followed by down slope because of which “flare perception” — can get compromised. Flare perception is the visual and sensory process of judging altitude, speed, and closure rate to transition from a descending approach to a smooth, near-zero vertical speed touchdown, usually within 15-30 feet of the ground. It involves shifting focus from the end of the runway to the sides to use peripheral vision to sense height and “ground rush”. “Phuket is a tricky place to land if the winds are strong and thermals during hot afternoon time which is usually the case there,” said a pilot.

File photo: CEC Gyanesh Kumar

NEW DELHI: Opposition parties on Wednesday voiced support for a proposal by the All India Trinamool Congress to move an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal.The proposal was announced by Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy, who said the party would seek Kumar’s removal under Article 324 of the Constitution of India, which governs the powers and functioning of the Election Commission.“We will bring an impeachment motion against the CEC as per Article 324 of the Constitution. We have many complaints regarding his functioning,” Roy said, according to news agency IANS.He also claimed that a large number of voters had been placed under scrutiny during the electoral roll revision exercise.“59 lakh voters are on the Adjudication list, which is a huge number. What Mamata Banerjee is saying is right… We will move it in the Rajya Sabha in a few days,” Roy said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

Congress backs proposal, cites concerns over voter rolls

The Indian National Congress welcomed the Trinamool Congress’ move, saying it had been raising concerns about alleged irregularities in voter lists for some time.Congress leader Udit Raj said the party would support the motion.“It is a welcome step. We have been fighting on this issue for quite some time,” he told IANS.He added that Congress had earlier raised concerns about alleged vote deletions and irregularities in voter turnout during elections in several states.Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat also criticised the conduct of the electoral roll revision exercise.“The way the Special Intensive Revision has been conducted in Bihar and West Bengal raises questions,” Bhagat said, alleging that such exercises were sometimes used as political tools.Independent MP from Purnia Pappu Yadav also backed the demand for action against the Chief Election Commissioner.“At present, it seems as though the Election Commission is no longer acting independently. There is a need to bring an impeachment motion against the Chief Election Commissioner,” he said.The Samajwadi Party also supported the proposal, with MP Dharmendra Yadav saying the party would stand with the Trinamool Congress in the impeachment move.

BJP criticises opposition move

Leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party criticised the opposition’s proposal, arguing that political parties should focus on electoral contests instead of targeting the Election Commission.BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said opposition parties should channel their energy into elections rather than confronting the poll body.Union minister Sukanta Majumdar said the opposition lacked the numbers needed to move such a motion and noted that the matter was currently under judicial scrutiny.“First, let them bring it up—right now they don’t have the numbers. The most important thing is that they are questioning the Election Commission while the matter is still sub-judice. The Supreme Court is monitoring the entire issue,” he said.BJP MP Anurag Thakur also accused the Congress of undermining constitutional institutions in the past.“The Congress used to appoint just about anyone as Election Commissioner and cripple the Election Commission,” Thakur said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

Process for removal of CEC

Opposition MPs are expected to begin collecting signatures from members of both Houses of Parliament to formally move the motion.Under parliamentary rules, a notice for the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner requires signatures from at least 100 members of the Lok Sabha and 50 members of the Rajya Sabha.The procedure for removing the CEC is similar to that for the removal of a judge of the Supreme Court or a High Court and requires proof of misbehaviour or incapacity. The motion must be passed in Parliament by a special majority, according to parliamentary provisions.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday assured that the Centre would extend all possible assistance to Indian citizens stranded in the Gulf region amid the ongoing Middle East crisis, saying the government was closely monitoring the situation and taking steps to support Indians in West Asia.Addressing a rally in Kochi, Kerala, the prime minister said India would not abandon its citizens abroad during a crisis.“India of today does not leave its citizens stranded elsewhere. We are working to ensure that every possible help is provided to Indians in West Asia,” PM Modi said.His remarks come as tensions in the Middle East continue to disrupt energy supplies and raise concerns for thousands of Indians working in the region.Using the occasion to push for self-reliance, the prime minister said the ongoing crisis underlined the importance of India becoming energy secure and economically independent.“The Middle East crisis and the resulting energy shortage show how important it is for a nation to be atmanirbhar,” he said.PM Modi also launched a sharp attack on the Congress, accusing the opposition party of making irresponsible statements during a time of international conflict.“Congress is inciting and being irresponsible in war,” he said.Taking a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi without naming him directly, the prime minister said the opposition was unaware of the progress made by India’s youth in emerging technologies.“The people of Kerala have seen that the Congress prince is unaware of the remarkable achievements of India’s youth in drone manufacturing. The Congress leader is unaware that numerous companies in India are manufacturing drones. He also doesn’t know that the youth of Kerala have startups to develop drones. Someone who is confined to his narrow thinking will never be able to see the country’s progress,” Modi said.The prime minister also criticised Kerala’s alternating political leadership between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), alleging that the cycle had slowed the state’s development.“Despite Kerala’s immense potential, it hasn’t developed at the pace it should have. The pattern of one LDF government, another UDF government, has caused significant damage to Kerala. These two groups believe their turn will come in five to ten years. Therefore, they don’t work hard for Kerala’s development. This pattern is the reason for Kerala’s corruption,” PM Modi said.

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday sharply criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, questioning its silence after a US official reiterated the United States has “permitted” India to temporarily purchase Russian oil. In a post on X, the opposition party highlighted remarks by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who called India a “good actor” while using the word “permitted.” The Congress asked: “Why is the Government of India not objecting to this blatant insult to our sovereignty and dignity? Instead of defending India’s honour, Prime Minister Modi chooses to remain conspicuously silent.” The party demanded answers from the BJP-led government, alleging that PM Modi’s silence amounts to silent admission. “So the country must ask: What is he afraid of? Why are India’s decisions being dictated from outside? Why is Narendra Modi being blackmailed by the United States? The people of India deserve answers. Because India’s sovereignty is not negotiable,” the Congress added.Also Read | India once defied pressure to buy Russian oil. So why did it need a US ‘waiver’ now?Leavitt said during a media briefing on Tuesday that Washington has “permitted” New Delhi to temporarily purchase Russian oil to address disruptions in global energy supplies amid the West Asia conflict. She emphasized that India had been a “good actor” by previously stopping purchases of sanctioned Russian oil and that the measure would not provide significant financial benefit to Russia. “I have spoken to the president and the secretary of the treasury, and the national security team made this decision because our allies like India have been good actors. As we work to address temporary global oil supply gaps caused by the Iranians, we have temporarily permitted India to accept Russian oil,” Leavitt told reporters.Also Read | ‘Mind your own business’: Kamal Haasan’s sharp message to Trump on India’s oil policy Her remarks come amid heightened Middle East tensions following the killing of Iran’s 86-year-old Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint US–Israeli strikes on February 28. In retaliation, Iran targeted both Israel and American assets in several Gulf countries. The strikes also killed several senior Iranian officials. On March 5, US treasury secretary Scott Bessent announced a 30-day waiver allowing New Delhi to purchase Russian crude. Last year, US President Donald Trump had imposed 50% tariffs on India, including 25% for Russian oil imports. Washington had alleged that New Delhi’s purchases were “funding Putin’s war machine” in Ukraine. In February, India and the US announced a delayed bilateral trade agreement, under which American tariffs on India were reduced to 18%. Later that month, the US Supreme Court, through a majority ruling, invalidated Trump’s tariffs, prompting the two countries to defer further trade talks.