NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the third high-level meeting with Secretaries to the Government of India. He discussed 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 PM said that Secretaries, in addition to thinking about immediate issues and statistics, should also think with a long-term perspective on how the country’s future should be shaped.

Discussing the challenge of overcoming silos, The PM stressed that silos are not merely an organisational problem but also a problem of mindset. He said silos can be both horizontal and vertical. He stressed that officials must take ownership of their responsibilities and work with a spirit of belongingness.

Emphasising the importance of collective effort, The PM cited the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic and the West Asia crisis, when officials across departments worked together effectively. He said that such coordination mechanisms should become a natural part of the government’s work culture.

The PM called for effective use of Artificial Intelligence while ensuring human intervention and judgement. He called for exploring innovative ways of combining the capabilities of AI with human expertise.

The PM emphasised that data is a national asset and a resource for the future. He noted that the government invests resources in collecting, storing and managing data, but its full potential is not always realised because of departmental silos and fragmented systems. He pointed to differences in the manner in which data is collected and managed for various purposes, and called for finding solutions that enable greater interoperability and effective use of data.

The PM called for greater engagement between government departments, universities and young people to bring fresh perspectives in policymaking. He said wider engagement with universities and young people can bring new and unconventional ideas.

The PM also called for greater focus on research and innovation, including in the defence sector. He emphasised the need to further strengthen India’s defence industry and make it more competitive at the global level. He stressed the importance of developing innovative defence courses and strengthening human resource development in the defence sector.

The PM also discussed the need for a comprehensive approach to strengthening India’s maritime sector. He recalled that shipbuilding was accorded infrastructure status and called for assessing 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.

The PM emphasised the need for better connectivity between manufacturing units and export-oriented units, so that India’s manufacturing and export capabilities can fully benefit from its maritime infrastructure.

The PM concluded by reiterating the need for a whole-of-government approach, greater coordination, innovative thinking and collective ownership to address complex challenges and shape India’s future with a long-term perspective.

The PM underlined the importance of informal interaction and building team spirit among officers. He encouraged senior officers to develop greater personal and informal engagement with junior colleagues and to build stronger networks across cadres and departments.