PM calls for ‘Team India’ effort in meet with CMs over West Asia crisis

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (March 27, 2026) stressed the need for co-ordination between the Centre and States to overcome the supply chain crisis engendered by the war in West Asia. He also called for a “Team India” effort to ensure supply of fuel and fertillizers, and a crackdown on hoarders and rumour-mongers.

It was the first such meeting held by Mr. Modi with Chief Ministers and Lieutenant-Governors of non-poll-bound States and Union Territories amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia that began on February 28.

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Among those who attended the meeting were Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Uttar Pradesh’s Yogi Adityanath, Telangana’s Revanth Reddy, Punjab’s Bhagwant Mann, Gujarat’s Bhupendra Patel, Jammu and Kashmir’s Omar Abdullah, Himachal Pradesh’s Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, and Arunachal Pradesh’s Pema Khandu. Karnataka Food and Supplies Minister K.H. Muniyappa attended the meeting instead of Chief Minister Siddharamaiah. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan and Home Secretary Govind Mohan were also present in the meeting.

According to a release issued after the meeting, Mr. Modi said that India had prior experience in dealing with similar global disruptions. “He recalled the collective response during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the Centre and States worked together as ‘Team India’ to mitigate the impact on supply chains, trade, and daily life. He underscored that the same spirit of cooperation and coordination remains India’s greatest strength in navigating the present circumstances,” stated the release.

Stress was laid on the need for advance planning in agriculture sector, particularly in monitoring fertilizer storage and distribution, so that farmers do not face difficulties during the upcoming Kharif season.

He called for special focus on border and coastal States to address any emerging challenges related to shipping, essential supplies, and maritime operations. He emphasised the importance of maintaining public confidence, noting that assurance regarding the availability of essential commodities would help prevent unnecessary panic among citizens. He further suggested that States with citizens in West Asia should activate helplines, appoint nodal officers, and establish district-level support systems to assist affected families and ensure timely flow of information.

India has been vulnerable to fuel supply chain disruptions, and Mr. Modi said that States should take the lead on accelerating efforts in promoting alternative energy sources such as biofuels, solar energy, the GOBARdhan initiative, electric mobility, as well as expanding piped natural gas connections. He also asked States to coordinate with the Centre on further exploration of domestic production of oil and gas.

The cut in excise duty on petrol and diesel was highlighted as a positive step taken by the government by Mr. Singh. Mr. Somanathan gave a presentation highlighting some steps, including a Centre-States, and district-level monitoring system to be developed to deal with the situation.

According to the release, the Chief Ministers appreciated the cut in excise duty on petrol and diesel as well as the decision to increase commercial LPG allocation to States and Union Territories to 70% of pre-crisis levels, up from 50%.

The Union government has also set up a Group of Ministers to regularly coordinate during the crisis, especially with regard to inter-Ministerial domains.

A separate meeting of Chief Secretaries of poll-bound States of Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and Kerala, as well as the Union Territory of Puducherry, will be held by Mr. Somanathan soon.