NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged top government officials to look beyond immediate challenges and statistics and adopt a long-term approach to shaping India’s future, with a focus on better coordination, data sharing, artificial intelligence and innovation.
Chairing the third high-level meeting with Union government secretaries at his residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, Modi discussed the future action agenda of ministries and departments dealing with infrastructure and connectivity, security and external affairs, and governance.
Modi said government departments must move beyond working in silos, stressing that such divisions were not merely an organisational issue but also a matter of mindset. He cited the coordinated response of various departments during the Covid-19 pandemic and the West Asia crisis as examples of effective inter-departmental cooperation.
The Prime Minister described data as a “national asset” and called for greater interoperability between departmental data systems. He said the government should make more effective use of the data it collects to improve policymaking and delivery of public services.
On artificial intelligence, Modi called for wider adoption of AI while ensuring that human intervention and judgement remain central to decision-making. He also encouraged officials to explore ways of combining AI capabilities with human expertise.
The Prime Minister stressed the need for closer engagement between government departments, universities and young people to bring fresh and unconventional ideas into policymaking. He also called for greater emphasis on research and innovation, particularly in the defence sector.
Strengthening India’s defence industry and making it more globally competitive should remain a priority, Modi said, while calling for better training and human resource development in the sector.
Chaired a high-level meeting with Secretaries to the Government of India and discussed the future action agenda of Ministries and Departments pertaining to Infrastructure and Connectivity, Security and External Affairs and other aspects of Governance.
Emphasised the need for…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 20, 2026
He also highlighted the need for a comprehensive approach to developing India’s maritime sector. Referring to the infrastructure status accorded to shipbuilding, he called for a mission-mode assessment of whether the intended objectives were being achieved.
Modi further stressed the need to move from port development to port-led development and improve connectivity between manufacturing and export-oriented units.
The Prime Minister also urged senior officers to interact more informally with junior colleagues and build stronger networks across departments and cadres, emphasising teamwork and collective ownership in governance.
