Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi was admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi late on Tuesday, sources from the hospital said.. According to hospital sources, Sonia Gandhi’s condition is being monitored by doctors. (PTI). According to sources, the Rajya Sabha MP is currently undergoing treatment at the hospital, and her condition is being monitored.. Gandhi had been admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in the national capital in January too after she experienced respiratory issues. Chairman of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Ajay Swaroop, had at that time said that a detailed medical examination had revealed that Sonia Gandhi’s bronchial asthma had been mildly exacerbated due to the combined effects of cold weather and the pollution level in Delhi.. Owing to this, the doctors had, as a precautionary measure, decided to admit her for observation and further medical management.. “She was experiencing respiratory discomfort, and upon medical examination, it was found that her bronchial asthma had been mildly exacerbated due to the combined effects of cold weather and pollution. As a precautionary measure, she was admitted for further observation and treatment. At present, her condition is absolutely stable,” Swaroop had said in an official statement. Swaroop had further stated that the senior Congress leader was being managed with antibiotics and other supportive medications. 

 As reports of a possible talks to end the war between the United States and Iran surfaces even as US President Donald Trump drops suggestions on truce talks, Tehran’s has put forward a list of demands.. Iran launched a fresh barrage of missiles toward Israel after denying Trump’s claims of talks with the US. (Reuters). While Trump said that “good talks were” underway with Iran, Tehran which first mocked Trump’s claims, has now acknowledged that it received messages from “some friendly countries indicating a US request for negotiations at ending the war”.. At the core of Iran’s stance is a clear message, ending the war alone will not be enough, according to a report by Reuters citing sources. If talks move forward, its key demands are expected to include:. An end to the war. Guarantees against any future US military action. Compensation for losses suffered during the conflict. Formal control of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global energy route. Iran would also refuse to negotiate any limitations to its ballistic missile programme. These concessions are potentially “red lines” for Donald Trump.. “very, very strong talks”. Despite claims from Donald Trump that Washington has already held “very, very strong talks” with Tehran, Iran has publicly denied that any such direct negotiations have taken place.. Also read | Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility hit by US-Israel strikes: Why the site is key. Instead, what appears to be underway are indirect efforts. Countries such as Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt have been involved in preliminary discussions, essentially testing whether there is enough common ground to even begin formal talks.. European officials noted that while there is no direct dialogue yet, messages are being passed through intermediaries, including Gulf states.. A Pakistani official and a second source also said on Monday that direct talks on ending the war could be held in Islamabad this week.. Also read | Stage set for US-Iran talks in Pakistan as Shehbaz Sharif invites, Donald Trump nods. However, final decisions would rest with the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has gained increasing influence since the conflict began.. On the other side, Israeli officials remain sceptical about the prospects of any agreement. They believe that US demands would likely include curbs on Iran’s missile and nuclear programmes — conditions Tehran is unlikely to accept. For Iran, these capabilities are seen as essential deterrents, especially after recent military strikes.. Strategically, Iran’s leverage lies in its missile arsenal and its ability to disrupt movement through the Strait of Hormuz.. Iran’s ‘head for an eye’ warning to Trump. Iran has issued a fresh warning to the US and President Donald Trump. Speaking to state media, Iran’s Military Advisor Mohsen Rezaei has said that the “deadline to save America” is approaching.. In a televised interview with IRNA, the military advisor to Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamen 

 India backs restoration of peace in West Asia at the earliest and wants to ensure that the Strait of Hormuz remains open and secure for the global community, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said when US President Donald Trump dialled him on Tuesday to discuss the situation in the Gulf region amid growing concerns about food and fuel security.. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on February 25, 2020. (Mohd Zakir/HT FILE PHOTO). This was the first phone conversation between the two leaders since Israel and the US’s military strikes on Iran on February 28 triggered a conflict that has entered its fourth week. With the closure of the Strait of Hormuz impacting supplies of fuel and other commodities, the Indian side has reached out in recent days to Iran, Israel, all members of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the US to find ways to end the hostilities.. Modi posted on social media that he had received a call from Trump and had a “useful exchange of views on the situation in West Asia”. He said: “India supports de-escalation and restoration of peace at the earliest. Ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, secure and accessible is essential for the whole world.”. He added that the two sides agreed to stay in touch “regarding efforts towards peace and stability”.. The phone call was initially announced on social media by US ambassador Sergio Gor, who said Trump spoke with Modi to discuss the “situation in the Middle East, including the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open”.. Modi and Trump last spoke on the phone on February 2, when the two sides announced progress towards concluding a bilateral trade deal aimed at addressing the issue of US tariffs on Indian exports.. People familiar with the matter noted that the PM has had two rounds of phone calls with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and the leadership of the six GCC member states – Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – as well as a conversation with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu since the start of the hostilities.. External affairs minister S Jaishankar met the envoys of the GCC countries on Monday and Iranian ambassador Mohammad Fathali on Tuesday. He has also spoken to his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi on five occasions and dialled his American counterpart Marco Rubio on Monday.. Following his meeting with the Iranian envoy, Jaishankar said in a social media post that they discussed the conflict in West Asia but didn’t give details. “Appreciate the support provided to Indians in Iran in these challenging times,” he added.. The phone call between Modi and Trump has to be seen in the context of India’s outreach, which has focused on efforts aimed at ending the hostilities as soon as possible and ensuring the unimpeded flow of energy and other commodities, especially through the Strait of Hormuz, i 

 Terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his foreign policy “compromised”, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday pointedly objected to the PM’s references to the Covid pandemic when he spoke about the West Asia crisis in his speeches in Parliament this week.. Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, outside Parliament in New Delhi on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (Ravi Choudhary/PTI Photo). “Modi ji said Covid-like time is coming. He has forgotten what had happened then, how many people had died, and what kind of tragedies had unfolded,” he said.. Asked about reports of Pakistan mediating US-Iran talks to end the ongoing war, the Congress MP said, “Our foreign policy is PM Modi’s personal foreign policy. You can see the results of this; everybody considers this a universal joke.”. Just hours after Gandhi’s statements, Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif offered to play host for US-Iran talks, while US President Donald Trump spoke to PM Modi too.. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Gandhi claimed, “I can give it to you in writing; PM will do what America and Israel say. He will not work in the interest of India and its farmers; he will do as America and Israel say.”. He also said he won’t be participating in Wednesday’s all-party meet on the issue, logistically because he is traveling to Kerala. But he gave another reason too: “The all-party meeting should take place, but a structural blunder has been made, and this cannot be fixed.”. Calling PM Modi’s speeches in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha “irrelevant”, Gandhi further argued, “He is the Prime Minister of India. He must appear to be as the PM of India. He has no position (on the US-Iran war).”. This lack of a clear stance, he said, would bring people harm, such as shortages of essential commodities linked to oil supplies. “This is the beginning. LPG, petrol, fertiliser, all these would pose a problem,” he said.. He played again on the word “compromised” that the Congress-led Opposition has deployed for the last few weeks against Modi and the BJP-led central government: “US President Donald Trump knows exactly what Mr Modi can do and what Mr Modi cannot do. If the PM is compromised, our foreign policy is compromised — it is obvious.”. Modi on Monday and Tuesday said the difficult global conditions caused by the West Asia conflict are likely to persist for a long time and called upon the nation to remain prepared and united, just as it had stood together during the Covid pandemic.. “This war has created difficult global conditions that may persist for a long time. Hence, we must remain prepared and united. We faced similar challenges during the Covid crisis with unity. Now again, we must prepare in the same way. With patience, restraint, and calmness, we must face every challenge-that is our identity, that is our strength,” he told the Rajya Sabha.. “At the same time, we must remain vigilant and cautious. Those who try to exploit the situation will atte 

 Amid global concerns over energy supply disruptions due to conflict in West Asia and the virtual closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran, the Ministry of Shipping on Tuesday assured that all Indian ships and sailors in the Gulf region are safe.. Indian LPG carriers, Jag Vasant and Pine Gas, carrying 92,612.59 MT of LPG, have transited through the Strait of Hormuz. The vessels have 33 and 27 Indian seafarers onboard, these vessels are destined for India and are likely to reach Ports between 26th & 28th March 2026. (Government of India). Speaking at a joint inter-ministerial briefing in the national capital, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Shipping, Rajesh Sinha, said two Indian-flagged LPG carriers, Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, have already safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz and are en-route to India.. “All Indian ships and sailors in the Gulf region are safe. No maritime incidents have been reported in the last 24 hours. Late last evening, two Indian-flagged LPG carriers, Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, both are loaded with LPG. Both vessels safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz and are headed towards India,” said Sinha.. He informed that Pine Gas ship, carrying 45,000 metric tonnes of LPG, is expected to arrive at New Mangalore Port on the morning of March 27. Meanwhile, another vessel Jag Vasant, loaded with approximately 47,600 metric tonnes of LPG, is headed towards Kandla and is likely to reach on March 26.. “Pine Gas is carrying 45,000 metric tons of LPG and is due to arrive at the New Mangalore Port, likely in the morning of March 27th. The other LPG carrier vessel, Jag Vasant, is carrying approximately 47,600 metric tons of LPG and is headed towards Kandla, with an estimated arrival date of March 26th,” said Rajesh Sinha.. Sinha further stated that with the departure of these two vessels from the Persian Gulf, there are currently 20 Indian-flagged ships in the region, carrying around 540 Indian sailors. He also confirmed that no congestion has been reported at any ports.. “Thus, with the departure of these two ships from the Persian Gulf, there are now 20 Indian-flagged ships, carrying 540 Indian sailors, in the Persian Gulf…No congestion has been reported at any port,” Sinha added.. After the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on February 28 in joint military strikes by the US and Israel and the subsequent retaliatory strikes and the virtual closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran have severely disrupted international waterways and global energy markets.. Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India has sufficient crude oil reserves and robust arrangements for continuous supply amid the ongoing West Asia conflict.. He highlighted the expansion of strategic petroleum reserves and increased refining capacity, as global trade through the Strait of Hormuz faces disruptions.. Addressing the Rajya Sabha, PM Modi said, “…In the last 11 years, strategic petroleum reserves have been developed to more than 53 lak