New Delhi: Amid escalating tensions in West Asia, the government on Saturday convened the first meeting of the Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) to assess the situation and ensure a coordinated national response.
Chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the meeting on Saturday assessed risks across key sectors and outlined both immediate and long-term preparedness measures, according to an official statement.
Following the meeting, Singh said the government remains committed to safeguarding Indian citizens from any fallout of the conflict. “The NDA Government under the leadership of PM Shri @narendramodi is closely monitoring the situation, and it is committed to safeguarding the Indian people from any impact of the conflict,” he said in a post on X.
Seven Empowered Groups of Secretaries made detailed presentations, highlighting sector-specific challenges and the policy measures currently in place. The defence minister directed the groups to maintain close monitoring and adopt a medium- to long-term preparedness strategy, with emphasis on timely decision-making and inter-ministerial coordination.
He stressed that policy interventions must remain aligned and be implemented in a time-bound manner, while also seeking inputs from ministers to further strengthen India’s preparedness and resilience.
The IGoM underlined the importance of coordination with state and district administrations, particularly in ensuring effective last-mile implementation of policy measures. It also emphasised the need for timely communication with the public to prevent panic and counter misinformation.
To streamline information dissemination, all ministries and departments have been directed to share updates and advisories through the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s WhatsApp channel to ensure accurate and verified information reaches citizens.
The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Power Minister Manohar Lal, Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister J.P. Nadda, Consumer Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, and Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh, among others.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman on Saturday to discuss the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
During the conversation, Modi reiterated India’s condemnation of attacks on regional energy infrastructure and stressed the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation and keeping key shipping routes open and secure.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said, “Thanked him for his continued support for the welfare of the Indian community in Saudi Arabia.”
