Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday chaired the first meeting of the Informal Empowered Group of Ministers (IGoM),to review the rapidly evolving situation in West Asia and assess its potential implications for India across key sectors.
The meeting, held at Kartavya Bhawan, was attended by senior members of the Union Cabinet, including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, Consumer Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, and Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh.
The Informal Empowered Group of Ministers (IGoM) has been constituted to monitor the evolving situation and recommend proactive measures in response to developments in West Asia.
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… pic.twitter.com/olF6ragjCE
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) March 28, 2026
Focus On Preparedness And Coordination
During the meeting, the IGoM undertook a comprehensive review of the situation in West Asia, with a focus on its potential impact on India’s economy, energy security, and other critical sectors.
Rajnath Singh stressed the need for a proactive, coordinated, and forward-looking approach, urging all stakeholders to remain vigilant given the fluid nature of developments in the region. He also called for strong synergy among ministries and time-bound implementation of policy measures to ensure preparedness.
Guidance To Secretaries And Policy Review
The Defence Minister directed the Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS) to closely monitor developments and adopt a medium- to long-term preparedness strategy. He emphasised maintaining high-level coordination and ensuring swift decision-making to respond effectively to emerging challenges.
Presentations were made by seven EGoS groups, outlining sector-specific concerns and detailing policy interventions already initiated to mitigate potential risks.
Tackling Misinformation, Strengthening Communication
The IGoM also highlighted the importance of coordination with state governments and district administrations, along with timely public communication of policy measures.
To curb misinformation, ministries and departments have been directed to share verified updates, advisories, and developments through the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s WhatsApp channel, ensuring accurate information reaches citizens and counters rumours and fake news.
The Group reaffirmed its mandate to continuously monitor the situation in West Asia and recommend proactive steps to safeguard India’s interests. It also stressed the need for ongoing assessment of the impact across industries to ensure resilience in the face of geopolitical uncertainties.
