The upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, scheduled to commence on July 21st and continue until August 12th, 2025, is poised to be particularly turbulent. This will be the first Parliament session held after Operation Sindoor, a significant counter-terrorism operation undertaken by India in response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22nd, which resulted in the death of 26 people. The session is expected to be dominated by discussions surrounding Operation Sindoor and its implications.

Several factors contribute to the anticipation of a stormy session. The opposition parties have been demanding a special session to discuss Operation Sindoor since the Pahalgam attack. In response to the terror attack, the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, reportedly eliminating over 100 terrorists associated with groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.

Adding fuel to the fire, comments made by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan regarding losses suffered by India during the initial stages of Operation Sindoor have further intensified the Opposition's call for a special session. These comments marked the first official acknowledgment of fighter jets being downed during the combat operations, prompting the Opposition to press the government to address defense preparedness and strategy.

In a united front, 16 opposition parties have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding a special session of Parliament to discuss the situation arising from Operation Sindoor. The parties are seeking a comprehensive discussion on the situation in Poonch, Uri, and Rajouri. The Congress party has been actively gathering signatures from other opposition parties to build consensus on the issue and urge the government to take all parties into confidence.

Besides Operation Sindoor, the opposition is also expected to raise concerns about a series of tweets by US President Donald Trump regarding a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, as well as issues of unemployment and infrastructure breakdown. The statehood of Jammu and Kashmir is another key issue that the opposition intends to raise.

The government has listed eight bills as part of its legislative agenda for the Monsoon Session, including bills to tighten norms around doping in sports and protect geological sites. Among the listed bills, the Income Tax Bill proposes to levy income tax on earnings for a year during the same year. The Geoheritage Sites and Geo-relics (Preservation and Maintenance) Bill seeks to protect and regulate relics and geological sites, and the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill seeks to tweak the anti-doping provisions to bring it at par with global norms.

Given the heightened tensions and the wide range of issues to be discussed, the Monsoon Session of Parliament is anticipated to be a contentious and closely watched affair. An all-party meeting is scheduled for July 20th, to be chaired by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The Business Advisory Committee will convene on July 21st, the first day of the Session.