Raksha Mantri-led IGoM on West Asia (6th meeting) reviews essential commodities availability and supply-chain resilience

📌 Summary:

• 6th meeting of the Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) on West Asia chaired by Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh, held on 27 May 2026 at Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Delhi
• Reviewed evolving West Asia conflict and assessed India's preparedness and response measures
• Participating Ministers: Chemicals & Fertilizers (Nadda); Power (Manohar Lal); Petroleum & Natural Gas (Hardeep Puri); Consumer Affairs/PDS (Prahlad Joshi); Railways & I&B and Electronics & IT (Ashwini Vaishnaw); Parliamentary Affairs (Kiren Rijiju); Ports/Shipping (Sarbananda Sonowal); Labour and Youth Affairs (Mansukh Mandaviya); MoS (IC) S&T (Jitendra Singh)
• IGoM took stock of essential commodity availability and supply-chain resilience
• RM stated supply situation is normal — citizens urged to avoid panic purchase of petrol, diesel and LPG
• IGoM expressed gratitude to PM Modi for leadership during the crisis; reaffirmed Govt's commitment to ensuring availability of all essential items despite global disruptions
• Reflects India's strategic vulnerability — ~85% crude-oil import dependence and large LPG sourcing from West Asia

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 — India's West Asia diplomacy, energy diplomacy, evacuation/contingency mechanisms; GS3 — Energy & food security, supply-chain resilience, internal security and crisis governance.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• IGoM = Informal Group of Ministers; this was the 6th IGoM meeting on West Asia
• Chair: Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh
• Venue: Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Delhi
• Date: 27 May 2026
• India imports >85% of crude oil; West Asia (Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, Iran) and Russia are top suppliers
• Key choke-points: Strait of Hormuz (oil), Bab-el-Mandeb/Suez (trade routes)
• Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) operated by ISPRL at Visakhapatnam, Mangalore and Padur

🔑 Key Term: IGoM (Informal Group of Ministers) — an ad-hoc inter-ministerial coordination mechanism convened by the Cabinet to respond to a specific crisis or policy issue; not constitutionally defined but used flexibly at Cabinet level.