3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Mar 11, 2026 07:27 PM IST
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday accused the Congress party of playing politics over the ongoing crisis in West Asia, saying that India today does not abandon its citizens during emergencies abroad.
Speaking at a BJP-led NDA rally in Kerala’s Kochi, Modi said the government was making every effort to ensure the safety of Indians in the Gulf and other parts of the conflict-hit region. “It’s natural for all of you to be concerned about what’s happening in the Gulf and West Asia. Remember, the BJP-NDA government is in power today. Whenever one of our countrymen is in trouble, we’ve used all our strength to ensure their safety,” Modi said.
He cited past rescue operations carried out by the government, saying, “Whether it’s rescuing nurses from Iraq or Father Tom from the clutches of terrorists in Yemen, India never abandons its citizens in times of crisis today…”
#WATCH | Ernakulam, Keralam | Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, “It’s natural for all of you to be concerned about what’s happening in the Gulf and West Asia. Remember, the BJP-NDA government is in power today. Whenever one of our countrymen is in trouble, we’ve used all our… pic.twitter.com/XI6eDTXafD
— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2026
The prime minister said the government was continuing efforts to provide assistance and ensure the safety of Indians in war-affected regions of West Asia amid rising tensions.
Modi also targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, calling him Congress’s “yuvraj” (prince), alleging that he was unaware of the developments taking place in the country and accusing the Opposition party of politicising the situation in West Asia.
During his address, Modi urged voters in Kerala to move away from the alternating political pattern between the state’s two dominant alliances, the Left Democratic Front and the United Democratic Front and allow the BJP-led NDA to govern the state.
He claimed that the BJP’s electoral gains in the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat in 2024 and recent success in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation reflected growing support for the party in Kerala.
The prime minister also outlined the BJP’s vision of turning Kerala into a hub for artificial intelligence and future technologies, while highlighting India’s growing role in sectors such as drone manufacturing.
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Modi further expressed gratitude to Gulf countries for the care shown toward Indian workers, noting that millions of Indians live and work across the region.
Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his cabinet colleagues will keep away from the official functions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kochi today. Here is what our reporter Shaju Philip writes about why CM Vijayan was boycotting PM Modi’s Kochi event on Wednesday.
