New Delhi, August 20, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged senior government officials to break departmental silos, adopt a long-term perspective and strengthen a whole-of-government approach to help shape India’s future.
Chairing his third high-level meeting with secretaries to the Government of India at his residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, the Prime Minister reviewed the future action agenda of ministries and departments dealing with infrastructure and connectivity, security and external affairs, and governance.
Noting that two groups of secretaries had already held deliberations, Modi asked officials to look beyond immediate challenges and statistics and focus on how India should develop over the long term.
Addressing the issue of departmental silos, he said they were not only an organisational challenge but also a matter of mindset. He noted that silos could exist both horizontally and vertically and stressed that officials should take ownership of their responsibilities while working with a sense of collective belonging.
Referring to the COVID-19 pandemic and the West Asia crisis, Modi said government departments had demonstrated effective coordination during challenging situations. He stressed that such mechanisms should become an integral part of the government’s regular working culture rather than being activated only during crises.
The Prime Minister also emphasised informal interaction and team-building among officers, encouraging senior officials to engage more closely with junior colleagues and strengthen networks across cadres and departments.
Describing data as a national asset and an important resource for the future, Modi called for greater interoperability and better utilisation of government data. He noted that despite substantial investments in collecting, storing and managing data, its potential often remains underutilised because of fragmented systems and departmental silos.
He also called for stronger engagement among government departments, universities and young people to bring fresh and unconventional ideas into policymaking.
On technology, Modi stressed the need to use artificial intelligence (AI) effectively while retaining human intervention and judgement. He encouraged officials to explore innovative ways of combining AI capabilities with human expertise.
In the defence sector, the Prime Minister called for further strengthening India’s defence industry and making it more globally competitive. He also emphasised innovative defence-related courses and stronger human resource development.
On the maritime sector, Modi called for a comprehensive strategy to strengthen the industry. Referring to the decision to accord infrastructure status to shipbuilding, he asked officials to assess in mission mode whether the intended objectives were being achieved.
He reiterated the need to move beyond port development towards port-led development and improve connectivity between manufacturing facilities and export-oriented units.
The Prime Minister concluded by stressing collective ownership, innovative thinking, greater inter-departmental coordination and a whole-of-government approach.
The secretaries shared their views on key priorities and implementation challenges. The Cabinet Secretary, secretaries of key ministries and departments, and senior officials from the Prime Minister’s Office attended the meeting.
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