Middle East crisis: PM Modi to meet chief ministers tomorrow to review preparedness

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a video conference with chief ministers on Friday evening to review preparedness and response plans for the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.The interaction, which will be held through video conferencing, is aimed at ensuring coordination between the Center and states and assessing the preparedness of key sectors such as supply chain, energy supply and emergency response systems.The meeting will emphasize the ‘Team India’ approach and the Prime Minister is expected to emphasize the need for seamless coordination and information sharing between the Union government and states amid evolving global uncertainties.States currently conducting assembly elections will not participate in the interaction due to provisions of the code of conduct. These states include West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry. Instead, separate meetings will be held for the chief secretaries of these states through the Cabinet Secretariat to review preparedness measures.The outreach comes as the center closely monitors the potential knock-on effects of conflict in the Middle East on India’s economy and fuel supplies.Ministers briefed the opposition at an all-party meeting in parliament on Wednesday.