India Parliament Resumes Budget Session Amid West Asia Tensions

India's Parliament reconvened for the second phase of its Budget Session on Monday, March 9, 2026, in New Delhi, amid heightened tensions over the escalating conflict in West Asia and a no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The session, spanning 65 days until April 2 with 30 sittings, is set to prioritize the Union Budget for 2026-27 and key legislative bills while addressing pressing foreign and domestic issues.

The proceedings began with somber obituary references in the Lok Sabha to deceased members, including sitting Meghalaya MP Ricky Andrew J Syngkon, as well as Kumari Sushila Tririya, Devi Bux Singh, Purnmasi Ram, and K.P. Unnikrishnan. In the Rajya Sabha, tributes honored former members Mukul Roy, Janardhan Waghmare, and H.K. Dua. Union Minister Nityanand Rai then tabled the President's proclamation revoking President's Rule in Manipur, which had been imposed on February 4, 2025, under Article 356 and lifted on February 13.

A central focus in the Lok Sabha was External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's statement on the situation in West Asia, delivered shortly after the session opened. The conflict intensified on February 28 with the assassination of...