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3 min readNew DelhiMar 29, 2026 05:26 AM IST
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during a meeting of an Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) over the ongoing West Asia conflict, in New Delhi. (@rajnathsingh/X via PTI Photo)
AT THE first meeting of the Informal Empowered Group of Ministers (IGoM), formed to monitor the developing situation in West Asia, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasised the importance of adopting a medium to long-term preparedness strategy and the need for swift decision-making.
Singh, who chaired this meeting on Saturday, also directed ministries and departments to share information to counter rumours, misinformation and fake news about the impact of the ongoing conflict.
In a statement, the Ministry of Defence stated that the IGoM took a holistic stock of the evolving situation and its impact on various sectors in India. It said that the Defence Minister emphasised the need for a “proactive, coordinated and forward-looking approach,” while highlighting the importance of remaining vigilant in view of the evolving scenario”.
During the meeting, the seven Empowered Groups of Secretaries (EGoS) made various presentations outlining key sectoral issues and the policy measures already in place to manage the situation.
Singh asked the EGoS to continue a close monitoring of the situation, adopt a medium to long-term preparedness approach, maintain high-level coordination and ensure swift decision-making.
Highlighting that all policy efforts should remain in synergy and be implemented in a time-bound manner, Singh sought constructive inputs from all the ministers concerned to ensure that India remains resilient and prepared, the MoD statement noted.
It added that the IGoM reaffirmed the importance of close coordination with states and district administrations, along with timely communication of key policy initiatives to the public. At the meeting, the need to assess the impact of the situation across various industries was discussed as well.
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“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 dissemination of accurate information to citizens and to effectively counter rumours, misinformation and fake news,” the statement noted.
In a post on X after the meeting, Singh said “the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, is committed to safeguarding Indian people from any impact of the conflict”.
The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, among others.
Amrita Nayak Dutta writes on defence and national security as part of the national bureau of The Indian Express. In the past, Amrita has extensively reported on the media industry and broadcasting matters, urban affairs, bureaucracy and government policies. In the last 14 years of her career, she has worked in newspapers as well as in the online media space and is well versed with the functioning of both newsrooms. Amrita has worked in the northeast, Mumbai and Delhi. She has travelled extensively across the country, including in far-flung border areas, to bring detailed reports from the ground and has written investigative reports on media and defence. She has been working for The Indian Express since January 2023. ... Read More
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