New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Sunday night (March 1, 2026) to review the rapidly evolving situation in West Asia following the United States and Israeli military strikes on Iran. The meeting was also convened in the backdrop of reports about the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
The CCS, the country’s highest decision-making body on security and strategic matters, met soon after the Prime Minister returned to the national capital at around 9:30 pm following a two-day visit to Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. According to sources, the Prime Minister presided over the meeting while senior ministers and top officials were briefed on the latest developments in the region and their potential implications for India.
The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Senior officials, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan, Cabinet Secretary T. V. Somanathan, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, were also present.
Sources said the discussions focused on the safety of Indian citizens living in West Asia and contingency measures if the situation escalates further. With much of the region’s airspace currently disrupted due to escalating military tensions, hundreds of Indians are reportedly stranded at major airports, including in Dubai, and have been seeking assistance through social media.
The committee is also understood to have reviewed developments related to the reported closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments and vital for India’s energy supplies.
According to official estimates, around 10,000 Indian nationals are currently in Iran, while more than 40,000 are in Israel. Overall, nearly nine million Indians live and work across the Gulf countries and West Asia. The Ministry of External Affairs said Indian embassies in the region are in constant contact with citizens and helplines have been activated to provide assistance.
Meanwhile, Iran’s state media, including the Islamic Republic News Agency, reported that the 86-year-old Supreme Leader was killed following large-scale airstrikes carried out jointly by the United States and Israel targeting Iranian military and government installations. US President Donald Trump said the strikes were intended to exert maximum pressure on Iran, adding that the bombing campaign could continue for a week or longer if necessary.