**Executive Summary**
On March 28, 2026, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh chaired the first meeting of the Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) to review the evolving situation in West Asia and its impact on India. The meeting focused on adopting a proactive, medium-to-long-term preparedness approach and ensuring swift, synergetic decision-making across various ministries to safeguard the Indian people. Key directives include the close coordination with state and district administrations and the mandatory use of the MIB WhatsApp Channel to disseminate accurate information and counter misinformation.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Strategic Approach and Decision-Making**
* Adoption of a medium to long-term preparedness approach to manage the evolving West Asia scenario.
* Emphasis on proactive, coordinated, and forward-looking strategies to ensure national resilience.
* Commitment to swift, time-bound implementation of policy measures and maintaining high-level synergy among ministries.
**Operational Oversight**
* Review of presentations by seven Empowered Groups of Secretaries (EGoS) regarding sectoral issues and existing policy measures.
* Directives for the EGoS to continue close monitoring of the situation and provide constructive inputs to ensure India remains prepared.
* Ongoing assessment of the situation’s impact across various domestic industries.
**Information Management and Communication**
* Directive for all Ministries and Departments to share relevant developments and advisories through the MIB WhatsApp Channel.
* Focus on disseminating accurate, timely information to citizens to effectively counter rumours, misinformation, and fake news.
* Emphasis on the importance of communicating key policy initiatives clearly to the public.
**Administrative Coordination**
* Reaffirmation of the need for close coordination between the central government, states, and district administrations.
* Requirement for high-level coordination to ensure that policy efforts remain in synergy.
**Impact Analysis**
**Central Ministries and Departments**
**Impact**
Required to align their sectoral policies and share real-time updates to manage the conflict's ripple effects on the Indian economy and people.
**Action Required**
Share all relevant information, developments, and advisories via the MIB WhatsApp Channel and provide constructive inputs to the IGoM.
**Empowered Groups of Secretaries (EGoS)**
**Impact**
Tasked with the granular monitoring of sectoral issues and the identification of necessary policy measures.
**Action Required**
Continue close monitoring of the evolving scenario and ensure that policy efforts are implemented in a time-bound and synergetic manner.
**States and District Administrations**
**Impact**
Critical links for the ground-level implementation of policy initiatives and the maintenance of public order against misinformation.
**Action Required**
Maintain close coordination with the central government and assist in the timely communication of policy initiatives to the public.
**General Public / Citizens**
**Impact**
Subject to the potential sectoral impacts of the West Asia situation and the risks posed by fake news or rumours.
**Action Required**
Monitor official government channels, specifically the MIB WhatsApp Channel, for accurate information and advisories.
Key Entities Referenced
Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM): A cabinet-level group established to monitor the evolving situation in West Asia and recommend proactive policy measures to safeguard Indian interests.
Empowered Groups of Secretaries (EGoS): Seven specialized groups tasked with identifying sectoral issues, implementing policy measures, and maintaining high-level monitoring of the regional crisis.
West Asia: The central geographic region of focus whose conflict and evolving situation are being reviewed for their impact on various Indian sectors.
Shri Rajnath Singh: The Minister of Defence (Raksha Mantri) who chaired the review meeting and directed ministries to adopt a long-term preparedness approach.
MIB WhatsApp Channel: The designated communication platform for disseminating accurate information and advisories to counter misinformation and fake news related to the conflict.
Ministry of Defence
Raksha Mantri chairs first IGoM meeting to
review West Asia situation & its impact on India
Need to adopt medium to long-term preparedness approach
& ensure swift decision-making, says Shri Rajnath Singh
PM Modi-led Govt is committed to safeguarding Indian
people from any impact: RM
IGoM reaffirms importance of close coordination with States
& District Administrations
Ministries & Departments directed to share information to
counter rumours, misinformation & fake news
Posted On: 28 MAR 2026 9:11PM by PIB Delhi
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, on March 28, 2026, chaired the first meeting of the Informal Group of
Ministers (IGoM) set-up to monitor the evolving situation in West Asia, and recommend proactive
measures in response to the developments. Held at Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Delhi, the meeting was
attended by Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt Nirmala Sitharaman; Minister of Parliamentary
Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju; Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Shri Hardeep Singh Puri; Minister of
Power Shri Manohar Lal; Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda; Minister of
Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Shri Prahlad Joshi; Minister of Civil Aviation Shri
Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu; and Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science and
Technology Dr Jitendra Singh.The IGoM took a holistic stock of the evolving situation and its impact on various sectors in India. Raksha
Mantri emphasised the need for a proactive, coordinated and forward-looking approach, and underscored
the importance of remaining vigilant in view of the evolving scenario.
As part of the meeting, presentations were made by the seven Empowered Groups of Secretaries (EGoS),
outlining key sectoral issues identified and the policy measures already put in place to manage the
situation. Shri Rajnath Singh provided guidance to the EGoS to continue the 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.The IGoM reaffirmed the importance of close coordination with States and district administrations, along
with timely communication of key policy initiatives to the public. The need for assessing the impact of the
situation across various industries was also discussed. 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.
In a post on X after the meeting, Raksha Mantri stated that the Government, under the leadership of Prime
Minister Shri Narendra Modi, is committed to safeguarding the Indian people from any impact of the
conflict.
https://x.com/rajnathsingh/status/2037880943470313683?s=48
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