The second phase of India’s Budget Session 2026 kicks off on Monday (March 9), in a charged atmosphere as External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar prepares to deliver a key statement in the Lok Sabha on ‘The Situation in West Asia.’ This comes against the backdrop of escalating regional conflict, triggered by the February 28 assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint US-Israeli strikes, followed by Tehran’s retaliatory attacks on American bases across West Asia and Israeli targets. Opposition MPs demanded a full-fledged debate to grill the Centre on its foreign policy stance and India’s response to the turmoil. Meanwhile, the session’s agenda bristles with high-stakes drama, including a Congress-led resolution for a No-Confidence Motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, backed by 118 signatories alleging his ‘partisan’ conduct after Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi was reportedly denied speaking time; the motion, to be tabled by MPs Mohamed Jawed, K Suresh and Mallu Ravi, requires House approval to proceed, potentially forcing Birla to vacate the chair and sit among members if taken up.
