3 min readNew DelhiMar 25, 2026 12:17 PM IST
First published on: Mar 25, 2026 at 03:35 AM IST
The Centre has set up seven Empowered Groups (EGs) of Secretaries to monitor and assess the impact of the West Asia conflict and take necessary remedial measures to mitigate adverse effects of any disruption, The Indian Express has learnt.
These groups were constituted by the Cabinet Secretariat on Monday, a day after PM Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security to review the “global situation” and directed that a team of ministers and secretaries be created for a “whole of Government approach”, said sources.
These groups are on lines of the EGs constituted in 2020 to formulate the government’s response during the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to sources, the seven EGs will cover security, defence and external affairs (Convener-Foreign Secretary), economy and finance (convener – Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs), energy (convener – Petroleum Secretary), fertilizer and other agricultural inputs (convener – Fertilizers Secretary), supply of essential commodities (convener – Consumer Affairs Secretary), transport and logistics (convener – Shipping Secretary) and communications (convener – Information and Broadcasting Secretary).
Sources said the groups have started working and one of them has called its first meeting on Wednesday.
“These Groups will identify issues and take immediate steps to address the situation. They will also formulate plans, strategise operations and take all necessary steps for their time-bound implementation,” said a source. The EGs will assess risks to energy supplies and pricing and take measures to mitigate disruptions, said the sources.
They will examine potential disruptions to trade, supply chains and logistics, including shipping routes, ports, aviation corridors and critical imports exports, and take pre-emptive mitigation measures. These groups will monitor domestic availability and price stability of essential commodities including food items, fertilizers, fuels and other critical inputs.
The group on economy and finance will also look after issues related to exports and imports, while the energy group will keep a watch on supply of petroleum products and identify “alternative import sources” to reduce dependency and improve resilience.
The group on supply of essential commodities will monitor prices of food and essential items. The group on transport and logistics will have secretaries from Railway and Civil Aviation ministries among others.
This is the first time that the prime minister will hold a meeting with the chief ministers on the West Asia conflict. (File Photo) 
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