Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday, April 3, 2026, chaired the second meeting of the Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) at Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Delhi, to review the West Asia conflict's impact on India and chart proactive measures to shield the country from its fallout. The first IGoM meeting was held on March 28, 2026.
Calling the situation "uncertain," Rajnath Singh stressed the need for round-the-clock monitoring and a calibrated response, saying India must "leave no stone unturned to ensure that the people of the country face the minimum effect of the conflict."
To counter global trade disruptions triggered by the West Asia conflict, the Finance Ministry announced full customs duty exemption on 40 critical petrochemical products till June 30, 2026, a concessional customs duty relief for eligible SEZ units selling manufactured goods in the Domestic Tariff Area from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027, and a DoR clarification that GAAR provisions will not apply to investments made before April 1, 2017. Rajnath Singh also appreciated the government's decision to cap monthly Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) price hikes at 25% for domestic airline operations from April 1, 2026, calling it a step to protect passengers from sudden airfare increases.
Chaired the second meeting of the Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) in New Delhi.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) April 2, 2026
Underlined the importance of Round-the-Clock monitoring of the situation and the need to respond in a calibrated manner to deal with any eventuality.
The IGoM was apprised of the measures being… pic.twitter.com/LT5douBImh
On India's LPG supply situation, the government said refinery output has been ramped up to fully meet domestic LPG demand, with no dry-out reported at any distributorship across the country. LPG supply disruptions in certain areas were attributed to hoarding and black marketing, prompting enforcement raids across multiple states and union territories. Over 4.3 lakh free-trade 5 kg LPG cylinders have been sold since March 23, 2026, to support migrant workers and low-income households, while industrial LPG supply is being maintained at over 80% of pre-crisis levels. The government also warned citizens against morphed images and misleading social media content being deliberately spread to create panic over LPG shortage in India.
The IGoM meeting was attended by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Power Minister Manohar Lal, Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Consumer Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi, Science and Technology MOS Jitendra Singh, and Railways and I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Seven Empowered Groups of Secretaries also briefed the ministers on steps taken to mitigate the impact of the West Asia conflict on India's economy and energy security.
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