PM holds meeting with secretaries; stresses on alertness, operational preparedness

The issues discussed during the meeting included strengthening of civil defence mechanisms, efforts to counter misinformation and fake news, and ensuring the security of critical infrastructure, a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said.

Ministries were also advised to maintain close coordination with state authorities and ground-level institutions, it said.

The high-level meeting, which included secretaries of various Ministries and departments of the government of India, reviewed national preparedness and inter-ministerial coordination in light of recent developments concerning national security.

PM Modi stressed the need for seamless coordination among ministries and agencies to uphold operational continuity and institutional resilience, the statement said.

"The prime minister called for continued alertness, institutional synergy, and clear communication as the nation navigates a sensitive period. He reaffirmed the government's commitment to national security, operational preparedness, and citizen safety," it said.

The meeting came a day after Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's base Muridke. The military strikes were carried out under 'Operation Sindoor' two weeks after the massacre of 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.

During the meeting, Modi reviewed the planning and preparation by ministries to deal with the current situation.

Secretaries have been directed to undertake a comprehensive review of their respective ministry's operations and to ensure fool-proof functioning of essential systems, with special focus on readiness, emergency response, and internal communication protocols, the statement said.

Secretaries detailed their planning with a 'whole of government' approach in the current situation, it said.

All ministries have identified their actionables in relation to the conflict and are strengthening processes.

Ministries are ready to deal with all kinds of emerging situations, the statement said.

The meeting was attended by the Cabinet Secretary, senior officials from the Prime Minister's Office, and Secretaries from key ministries including Defence, Home Affairs, External Affairs, Information & Broadcasting, Power, Health, and Telecommunications.