Rajnath Singh Chairs First Meeting of Informal Group of Ministers on Middle East War

New Delhi: An informal group of ministers led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met in Delhi to discuss the ongoing situation arising out of the prolonged war raging in the Middle East. This comes at the backdrop of multiple meetings held by the central government on the ongoing conflict in which it has assured people that there is no shortage of fuel. 

Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually chaired a meeting with Chief Ministers and Lieutenant Governors of States and Union Territories on Friday which reviewed the preparedness of the states on energy security.

In the meeting, the Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for the valuable suggestions shared by all Chief Ministers, and emphasised the need for vigilance, preparedness, and coordinated action to address the challenges ahead.

The Prime Minister said India has prior experience in dealing with similar global disruptions and recalled the collective response during the pandemic, when the Centre and States worked together as "Team India". He underscored that the same spirit of cooperation remains India's greatest strength in navigating the present circumstances.

In that meeting, Rajnath Singh highlighted that the government has been working actively under the leadership of the Prime Minister to tackle this crisis and is taking positive steps such as ensuring the timely availability of LPG and reducing the excise duties on petrol and diesel. He further highlighted the need for collective action from all states, UTs and the centre to tackle the ongoing situation.

Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan gave a presentation on the current situation and enumerated steps and recommendations for States to tackle the situation. Chief Ministers appreciated the steps taken by the central government under the leadership of the Prime Minister to tackle the situation. They also praised the diplomatic outreach of the Prime Minister to different countries amidst this crisis to ensure the well-being of Indian citizens abroad.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump also held a telephonic conversation recently to discuss the ongoing war situation. (With ANI inputs)

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