PM Modi speaks to Jordan’s King Abdullah II on West Asia crisis

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

New Delhi, March 2 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a telephone conversation with King Abdullah II of Jordan, expressing India’s deep concern over the rapidly deteriorating situation in West Asia.

The call came amid escalating military confrontations involving the US, Israel and Iran, which have reportedly drawn in several neighbouring countries through retaliatory strikes and missile attacks.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister said he had spoken with the King of Jordan to convey India’s concern over the evolving regional situation.

He reaffirmed India’s firm support for peace, security and the well-being of the people of Jordan.

The Prime Minister also thanked King Abdullah II for ensuring the safety and care of the Indian community in Jordan during the current crisis.

The outreach reflects India’s diplomatic engagement with regional leaders as tensions intensify in West Asia.

Recent developments include joint US-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, which, according to reports, resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

This was followed by Iranian missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, US military installations and locations in Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

Jordan has reportedly been directly affected, with accounts of intercepted projectiles over its territory causing injuries and property damage.

In response to the evolving security situation, Jordan has implemented partial nightly closures of its airspace as a precautionary measure to safeguard civil aviation, joining other countries that have restricted flights amid heightened risks.

The Prime Minister’s conversation with King Abdullah II follows similar discussions with leaders of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, during which he condemned attacks on their sovereignty and emphasised India’s solidarity.

These engagements underscore India’s priority of safeguarding its large expatriate workforce in the Middle East while advocating de-escalation and regional stability.

The broader crisis has disrupted international aviation, led to airspace restrictions and heightened concerns of a wider regional conflict, with implications for trade routes, energy supplies and civilian safety.

India has consistently called for dialogue and restraint in international forums, positioning itself as a proponent of peaceful resolution of conflicts.

PM Modi’s message also reaffirmed the strong bilateral ties between India and Jordan, built on mutual respect and cooperation, even as the region faces uncertainty.

Observers say such high-level contacts are aimed at promoting calm and ensuring the welfare of affected populations, including Indian nationals residing across West Asia.

–IANS

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Maoism-hit districts down to 18 from 126 in 2013: Nityanand Rai

New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) The number of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) or Maoism affected districts have come down from 126 in 2013 to 18 districts in April 2025 along with a sharp dip in violent incidents, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, in a written reply, said LWE-related violent incidents and resultant deaths of civilians and security forces have come down from the high of 2010 by 81 per cent and 85 per cent in 2024.

Maoism, which has been a serious challenge to the internal security of the nation, has been significantly curbed in recent times and has been constricted to only a few pockets, he said.

Highlighting the Central government’s support for state governments battling LWE, the MoS said Rs 3,364.32 crore have been released since 2014-15 for capacity building of states.

These funds were for operational expenditure of forces, expenditure incurred on training State Police Forces, rehabilitation of surrendered LWE cadre and solatium to families of civilians killed in LWE violence/martyred security force personnel under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme.

Shedding light on the slow pace of development in LWE-affected areas, MoS Rai said these areas are marred by dual challenges of a vicious circle of backwardness and the security concerns arising out of LWE influence.

Poverty, low levels of literacy, poor health standards, lack of infrastructure and connectivity are all manifestations of LWE violence, he said.

The Central government also provides financial support to states for impetus to development and filling critical gaps in public infrastructure in Most LWE-affected Districts under the Special Central Assistance (SCA) scheme, he said.

Till now, Rs 3,769.44 crore have been released since the inception of the scheme in 2017, he said.

As part of developmental achievements in LWE-affected states since 2014, a total of 12,012 km of roads have been built – the maximum of 3,535 km in Chhattisgarh, followed by 2,600 km in Jharkhand.

In the same direction, 8,640 mobile towers and 5,899 post offices have also been set up in Maoism-hit states, said the MoS.

–IANS

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HM Shah takes a swipe at Opposition, says Lalu’s call for stricter Waqf laws finally answered

New Delhi, April 2 (IANS) Addressing the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, asserted that misconceptions about the Waqf (Amendment) Bill were being deliberately spread by certain parties to bolster their vote banks.

He said that the proposed legislation was in line with fulfilling the wishes of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, something the opposition had failed to do.

The Home Minister explained that the new law might not have been necessary had the Waqf (Amendment) Act of 2013, passed under the Congress-led UPA II government, not been rushed through just months before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

At that time, Lalu Prasad, whose party had been part of the ruling coalition before withdrawing and later offering support, had raised concerns about the state of Waqf properties.

Quoting Lalu Prasad, HM Amit Shah said: “We welcome the amendment bill presented by the government. I support the statements made by (BJP’s) Shahnawaz Hussain and others. Most of the land has been grabbed, be it government-owned or otherwise. People in the Waqf Board have sold all the prime land. In Patna, apartments have been constructed on Dak Bungalow property. There has been a lot of loot like this.”

The Home Minister further quoted the RJD leader’s call for tougher action: “We support the amendments, but we want you (the UPA government) to bring in a strict law in the future and put such people behind bars.”

While sharing this, HM Shah smilingly pointed to the Opposition benches and remarked: “Lalu Prasad’s wishes were not fulfilled by them (Congress-led UPA), but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is doing it. Lalu ji had asked for a stricter law.”

The Home Minister also reiterated that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was not aimed at any particular religion and that the Congress and other opposition parties were spreading misinformation about the bill to serve their vote-bank politics.

–IANS

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J&K: Passengers thank railways for successful operation of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-Srinagar train service

Jammu, Jan 27 (IANS) Passengers have thanked the railways for the successful operation of the special train between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra station and Srinagar in J&K on Tuesday.

Raghvender Singh, public relations inspector, Jammu railways, said today, Northern Railway’s Jammu Division strives to provide its passengers with the best possible facilities and comfortable travel.

He said that in line with this commitment to passenger convenience, special reserved train number 04627 was successfully operated today, January 27, between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Srinagar.

“This special reserved train was operated by the Jammu Division, considering the situation arising due to heavy crowds and inclement weather. This train proved to be an extremely convenient and safe option for passengers. Special reserved train number 04627 departed from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra on time at its scheduled time of 8:10 am,” he said.

He claimed that more than 650 people travelled on this train.

“Passengers travelling on the train expressed their gratitude to the railways for operating the special reserved train and stated that, regardless of the circumstances, the Jammu Division provides its passengers with better travel options by operating special reserved trains from time to time,” he said.

“One such special reserved train was operated today, considering the bad weather and snowfall. Since air and road traffic were affected, the railway was the only option that provided better facilities to its passengers.”

Regarding special reserved train number 04628, this train arrived at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra from Srinagar today, January 27.

“It departed from Srinagar at its scheduled time of 2 PM. More than 700 people travelled on this special reserved train. Passengers travelling from Srinagar to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra appreciated the special train run by the railways and said that tourists who have come to Kashmir from different parts of the country are experiencing a smooth journey,” he said.

Commenting on the successful operation of the special reserved train, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Uchit Singhal said, “The special reserved train has facilitated connectivity between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and the Kashmir Valley during inclement weather. The train maintained an occupancy rate of over 100 per cent during its operation.”

He said that the passengers appreciated this special service and said that the train was extremely beneficial for them, especially when road and air travel were disrupted.

“This initiative will ensure safe travel during bad weather, which is a significant step in improving passenger convenience, especially since many tourists visit Kashmir during the snowy season,” he said.

He said that this could lead to an increase in the number of tourists visiting Kashmir.

–IANS

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