Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasized the need for a proactive, coordinated, and forward-looking approach, and highlighted the importance of remaining vigilant in light of the evolving situation in West Asia. He made this statement while chairing a meeting of an Informal Group of Ministers, comprising several senior ministers, in New Delhi last evening. The meeting was attended by Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Hardeep Singh Puri, J P Nadda, Jitendra Singh, and K Rammohan Naidu, among others.
The Defence Minister informed that the meeting was convened to review the risks to energy supplies, the domestic availability of essential commodities, the resilience and robustness of India's supply chains, and critical infrastructure in the wake of the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Mr. Singh instructed the Empowered Groups of Secretaries to continue close monitoring of the situation, adopt a medium to long-term preparedness approach, maintain high-level coordination, and ensure swift decision-making. He stressed that all policy efforts should remain in synergy and be implemented in a time-bound manner. He also sought constructive inputs from all the concerned ministers to ensure that India remains resilient and prepared.
During the meeting, it was also directed that all Ministries and Departments share relevant information, developments, and advisories related to the ongoing situation through the MIB WhatsApp Channel to ensure the accurate dissemination of information to citizens and to effectively counter rumors, misinformation, and fake news.