New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday chaired the third high‑level meeting with secretaries to the Government of India at his residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. The discussions focused on the future action agenda of ministries and departments dealing with infrastructure and connectivity, security and external affairs, and governance. Noting that deliberations had already been held with two groups of secretaries, the Prime Minister urged officials to move beyond immediate issues and statistics. He called on them to think long-term about how the country’s future should be shaped. Addressing the challenge of overcoming silos, PM Modi said silos are not merely an organisational problem but also a mindset issue. He noted that silos can be both horizontal and vertical, and stressed that officials must take ownership of their responsibilities and work with a spirit of belongingness. Citing the COVID‑19 pandemic and the West Asia crisis, when officials across departments worked together effectively, the Prime Minister said such coordination mechanisms should become a natural part of the government’s work culture. He underlined the importance of informal interaction and building team spirit among officers, encouraging senior officers to engage more personally with junior colleagues and build stronger networks across cadres and departments. The Prime Minister described data as a national asset and a resource for the future. He observed that while the government invests significant resources in collecting, storing and managing data, it often fails to realise its full potential because of departmental silos and fragmented systems. He called for greater interoperability and more effective data use. PM Modi also stressed the need for greater engagement between government departments, universities and young people to bring fresh and unconventional perspectives into policymaking. On technology, he called for the effective use of artificial intelligence (AI) while ensuring human intervention and judgement, and for exploring innovative ways of combining AI capabilities with human expertise. In the defence sector, the Prime Minister emphasised the need to strengthen India’s defence industry further and make it more globally competitive. He stressed the importance of developing innovative defence courses and strengthening human resource development in the sector. On the maritime front, PM Modi called for a comprehensive approach to strengthen the sector. Recalling that shipbuilding had been accorded infrastructure status, he urged assessment of whether the intended objectives are being achieved in mission mode. He reiterated the need for India to move from port development to port‑led development and for better connectivity between manufacturing units and export‑oriented units. The Prime Minister concluded by reiterating the need for a whole‑of‑government approach, greater coordination, innovative thinking and collective ownership. The secretaries shared their perspectives 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. –IANS sktr/dan
PM Modi urges secretaries to break silos, adopt long-term vision for India’s future
