Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday chaired the first meeting of an Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) to assess the evolving situation in West Asia and its potential impact on India.
The high-level meeting, held at Kartavya Bhawan in New Delhi, brought together several senior ministers to review risks related to energy supplies, essential commodities, and the resilience of critical infrastructure and supply chains.
Focus on Preparedness and Coordination
During the meeting, Singh stressed the need for a proactive, coordinated, and forward-looking approach, calling for medium to long-term preparedness and swift decision-making to address emerging challenges.
He directed officials to ensure close monitoring of developments and maintain strong inter-ministerial coordination so that policy responses remain timely and effective.
The IGoM reviewed presentations by seven Empowered Groups of Secretaries (EGoS), which outlined sector-specific challenges and measures already in place to manage the situation.
Key Ministers Participate
The meeting was attended by several Union Ministers, including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, and Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, among others.
Monitoring Impact Across Sectors
The ministers discussed the potential impact of the West Asia situation on various sectors, including energy, logistics, and essential supplies. Emphasis was placed on ensuring uninterrupted availability of critical resources and strengthening supply chain resilience.
The group also underlined the importance of close coordination with state governments and district administrations to ensure effective implementation of measures on the ground.
Tackling Misinformation
To prevent panic and confusion, ministries and departments were directed to actively share verified updates and advisories through official channels. The government emphasised the need to counter rumours, misinformation, and fake news through timely and accurate communication.
Government Assures Public Safety
After the meeting, Singh said in a post on X, “A meeting of an IGoM (Informal Group of Ministers) constituting several senior ministers was held today to review the risks to energy supplies, domestic availability of essential commodities, critical infrastructure resilience and robustness of India’s supply chains in the wake of the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
“There was in-depth discussion on all the measures being taken by the Government of India. The NDA Government under the leadership of PM Shri Narendra Modi is closely monitoring the situation and it is committed to safeguard the Indian people from any impact of the conflict,” he added.
