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

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, March 27, 2026, emphasized the need for coordination between the Center and the States to overcome the supply chain crisis caused by the war in West Asia. He also called for a “Team India” effort to ensure supplies of fuel and fertilisers, and crack down on hoarders and rumour-mongers.

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

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Among those present at the meeting were Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Yogi Adityanath from Uttar Pradesh, Revanth Reddy from Telangana, Bhagwant Mann from Punjab, Bhupendra Patel from Gujarat, Omar Abdullah from Jammu and Kashmir, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu from Himachal Pradesh and Pema from Arunachal Pradesh. Khandu. Karnataka Food and Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa attended the meeting in place of Chief Minister Siddharamaiah. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan and Home Minister Govind Mohan were also present at the meeting.

Mr Modi said India had prior experience in dealing with similar global disruptions, according to a statement released after the meeting. “He recalled the collective response during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Center and States working together as ‘Team India’ to mitigate the impact on supply chains, trade and daily life. He underlined that the same spirit of cooperation and coordination remains India’s greatest strength in tackling the current circumstances,” the statement said.

It was emphasized that advance planning should be done in the agricultural sector, especially in monitoring fertilizer storage and distribution, so that farmers do not face difficulties in the upcoming Kharif season.

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

India is vulnerable to fuel supply chain disruptions and Mr Modi said States should take the lead in accelerating efforts to promote alternative energy sources such as biofuels, solar power, the GOBARDhan initiative, electric mobility and expansion of piped natural gas connections. He also asked the states to coordinate with the Center on further exploration of domestic oil and gas production.

Mr. Singh emphasized that reducing excise duty on petrol and diesel is a positive step taken by the government. Mr. Somanathan made a presentation highlighting some steps, including the Central States and district level monitoring system that will be developed to deal with the situation.

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

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

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