New Delhi, Mar 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a video‑conferencing interaction with Chief Ministers on Friday evening to review state‑level preparedness amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, with the government stressing “Team India” coordination and a unified response. The meeting is expected to cover energy security, supply‑chain stability, and measures to counter panic buying fuelled by fake rumours of shortages.
Sources said Chief Ministers of poll‑bound states—Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry—will not attend the discussion. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah appealed to the public not to panic, calling the sight of long queues at petrol pumps “regrettable” and warning that he would shut down all pumps temporarily if the stampede behaviour continued. He reiterated that there is no deficit in petrol, diesel or LPG and that no official restriction on fuel use has been issued.
Earlier on Wednesday, an all‑party meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi reviewed the West Asia crisis, with the government briefing party leaders on the regional situation and India’s preparations. All Union ministers in the Cabinet Committee on Security—Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, S Jaishankar and Nirmala Sitharaman—represented the government, joined by Health Minister J P Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, along with Jaishankar and Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, briefed participants that India’s energy security remains stable, with enough crude oil, LPG and fertilisers in stock and multiple shipments already arriving.
The Centre highlighted proactive diplomacy, noting that New Delhi is in touch with all parties and has kept supply lines open, describing it as a “diplomatic success.” Authorities also reiterated that there is no need for panic, with Indian embassies actively assisting nationals in conflict‑affected regions and evacuation plans on standby. In the Rajya Sabha, Modi had earlier assured Parliament that India has sufficient crude oil, expanded strategic reserves, and diversified energy imports from 27 to 41 countries over the last decade. The Friday meeting is aimed at further tightening coordination between the Centre and states to manage any economic or logistical fallout from disruptions around key trade routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.
