‘Committed to protecting people’: Rajnath holds review meeting on energy supplies during Iran war

minister of defense Rajnath Singh The Center said on Saturday it was “committed to protecting the people of India” as the government steps up surveillance of energy supplies and basic commodities amid the ongoing West Asian conflict.“An IGoM (informal group of ministers) meeting of several senior ministers was held today to review risks to continued post-conflict energy supply in West Asia, domestic supply of essential commodities, critical infrastructure resilience and robustness of India’s supply chains,” Singh wrote in a post on X after chairing a high-level review.“There was an in-depth discussion on all the measures being taken by the Indian government. The NDA government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is closely monitoring the situation and is committed to protecting the people of India from the impact of the conflict,” he added.The meeting marked the first formal review by the informal ministerial group, as concerns grow globally about conflict-related supply disruptions. While the government continues to reassure citizens about availability, officials assess the vulnerabilities of fuel supplies, logistics networks and critical infrastructure.Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a virtual meeting with chief ministers and lieutenant governors, focusing on preparedness and coordination between the Center and states. He called for vigilance and a unified approach, similar to how India has dealt with global disruptions like the Covid-19 pandemic in the past.The prime minister said the situation remained dynamic and required constant monitoring, noting that inter-ministerial mechanisms were already reviewing developments on a daily basis. He stressed that maintaining energy security, stabilizing trade and protecting citizens remain top priorities.During the discussion, Singh also pointed out the measures taken to ease the pressure on households, including ensuring timely supply of LPG and reducing excise duty on petrol and diesel. He urged states and union territories to work closely with the Center to ensure seamless implementation on the ground.The Center maintained that there is no shortage of fuel or essential commodities, while the Ministry of External Affairs continued to monitor the safety of Indian nationals in the area.