LIVE: Trump claims Iran wants deal, US in talks with ‘respected’ leader in Tehran
Trump says US and Iran have had “productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution” of hostilities; Iran press says there were no talks
Here is the top, trending news of Monday, March 23, 2026, including Iran war, Indian politics, states' politics, geopolitics, federal issues, economics, development issues, sports, entertainment, and so on.
Read updates below.
Live Updates
- 23 March 2026 2:16 PM IST
PM Modi flags India’s stakes in West Asia, urges unified stand
Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined India’s exposure to the ongoing West Asia conflict, pointing to trade, energy flows and the presence of Indian nationals in the region.
“India has extensive trade relations with countries at war and affected by the conflict,” Modi said, adding that the region is “an important route for our trade with other countries around the world,” particularly for meeting “a large portion of our crude oil and gas needs.”
He also drew attention to the scale of the Indian community in the Gulf, noting, “Nearly 1 crore Indians live and work in the Gulf countries,” alongside a significant number of Indian crew members operating commercial vessels in these waters.
“Due to these various reasons, India's concerns are naturally greater,” the Prime Minister said, stressing that “it is essential that a unified voice and consensus reach the world regarding this crisis from the Parliament.”
- 23 March 2026 2:14 PM IST
PM Modi calls West Asia situation worrisome as conflict drags on
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday described the situation in West Asia as “worrisome,” telling the House that the conflict has now stretched beyond three weeks with visible strain on the global economy.
“The situation in West Asia is worrisome. In the last 2-3 weeks, EAM Dr S Jaishankar and Union Minister Hardeep Puri have provided the details of the situation to the House. This conflict has been going on for more than 3 weeks. It has a severe impact on the global economy and the lives of the people, and that is why the world is urging all sides for an early resolution to this conflict...” PM Modi said as quoted by ANI.
He indicated that the government has been closely tracking developments, with regular briefings to Parliament as the crisis continues to unfold.
- 23 March 2026 2:10 PM IST
PM Modi flags oil concerns, says 1,000 Indians back from Iran
West Asia remains a crucial source of crude oil for India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, urging a unified stance. “We need to ensure we speak in one voice,” he said, adding that around one crore Indians live across the Gulf.
He also said 1,000 Indians have returned safely from Iran, including more than 700 medical students.
- 23 March 2026 2:08 PM IST
West Asia crisis enters third week, calls for unity: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the Lok Sabha that the crisis in West Asia has entered its third week, with no resolution in sight. “The entire world is in touch with all stakeholders to bring this conflict to an end,” he said.
He pointed out that the region remains a key source of crude oil for India, stressing the need for a unified approach. Modi also highlighted the Indian diaspora in the Gulf, noting that nearly one crore Indians live there.
- 23 March 2026 2:06 PM IST
IndiGo warns of flight disruptions as West Asia crisis escalates
IndiGo Airlines, on Monday (March 23), said some flight operations may change at short notice due to the escalating situation in West Asia, urging passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
Flights scheduled for March 23 are operating as planned, but passengers have been advised to stay updated through official channels. Notifications are being sent to registered contact details, and a dedicated helpdesk has been set up to assist travellers.
Airlines said they are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with authorities to ensure safe and smooth travel.
- 23 March 2026 1:50 PM IST
RBI injects Rs 79,256 cr into banking system via overnight variable repo rate auction
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday infused Rs 79,256 crore transient liquidity into the banking system through overnight variable repo rate (VRR) auction.
The RBI injected the funds at cut-off and weighted average rates of 5.26 per cent, the central bank said in a release.
The liquidity injected was much lower than the notified amount of Rs 1 lakh crore, despite the sharp drop in surplus liquidity in the banking system due to advance tax payments.
Currently, liquidity in the banking system is estimated to be in deficit of about Rs 65,395.64 crore as on March 23.
On March 20, the central bank had infused Rs 25,101 crore transient liquidity in the banking system through a three-day VRR auction.
On March 17, the RBI injected Rs 48,014 crore liquidity in to the banking system via seven-day VRR.
Prior to this, the RBI infused Rs 3.50 lakh crore of durable liquidity into the banking system through open market purchase (OMO) of government securities since January 2026.
- 23 March 2026 1:15 PM IST
Oil prices up more than 50 per cent since start of war
Oil prices remained stubbornly high in early trading, with the price of Brent crude, the international standard at around USD 112 a barrel, up nearly 55 per cent since Israel and the US started the war on February 28 by attacking Iran.
The war has also caused wild fluctuations in global stock markets as traders grow increasingly concerned about a world energy crisis and other issues.
- 23 March 2026 12:37 PM IST
Asian shares decline as hopes dim for resolution in Iran
Asian shares dipped on Monday (March 23), as oil prices continued to climb after US President Donald Trump's latest comments dashed hopes for an early end to the war in Iran.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 dropped 3.5 per cent to 51,511.75 in afternoon trading. In Taiwan, the Taiex shed 2.5 per cent to 32,722.50. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.7 per cent to 8,365.90.
South Korea's Kospi dove 6.5 per cent to 5,404.77. Hong Kong's Hang Seng slipped 4.0 per cent to 24,279.23, while the Shanghai Composite declined 3.7 per cent to 3,811.62.
“Trump's ultimatum and Iran's retaliatory warnings point to a widening conflict that keeps energy disruption and market volatility elevated with no clear off-ramp in sight,” said Ng Jing Wen, analyst at Mizuho Bank in Singapore.
Higher oil prices, which also shook stock markets on Friday, dashed hopes for a possible upcoming cut to interest rates by the Federal Reserve, analysts said.
- 23 March 2026 12:29 PM IST
Air Canada jet hits vehicle at LaGuardia in New York, aircraft suffers heavy damage
An Air Canada flight struck a Port Authority vehicle shortly after landing at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday, leaving the aircraft visibly damaged, its nose crushed upward and rear lowered toward the runway as officials worked to piece together what happened.
“At approximately 11:40 p.m. on Sunday, a Jazz Aviation flight operating on behalf of Air Canada was involved in an incident on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport in which the aircraft struck a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle that was responding to a separate incident," the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said in a statement.
Authorities closed the runway while investigators examined the scene, with senior Port Authority officials present. Jazz Aviation, which operates Air Canada Express, said an initial passenger list showed 72 passengers and four crew members onboard, pending confirmation.
The flight had departed from Montreal before the collision. Fire officials said crews responded around 11:38 p.m. Videos circulating online showed heavy front-end damage under bright emergency lighting.
(With agency inputs)
- 23 March 2026 12:18 PM IST
Silver hits lower circuit in futures trade, plunges 9 pc to Rs 2.06 lakh/kg
Silver prices nosedived to hit their lower circuit in futures trade on Monday (March 23), tumbling by Rs 20,409 to Rs 2.06 lakh per kilogram amid weak global trends and sustained selling pressure.
On the Multi Commodity Exchange, silver for May delivery slumped Rs 20,409, or 9 per cent, to Rs 2,06,363 per kilogram, its lower circuit limit.
Analysts said the sharp fall came despite escalating tensions in West Asia, as broader macroeconomic factors weighed heavily on precious metal prices.
