New Delhi : PM Narendra Modi on Thursday chaired an extensive meeting of the Council of Ministers that lasted nearly four-and-a-half hours, with discussions centred on governance reforms, improving administrative efficiency. In a post on X on Friday, the Prime Minister described the deliberations as “fruitful,” saying ministers exchanged views on improving “Ease of Living” and “Ease of Doing Business,” along with measures to accelerate reforms aimed at achieving the goal of a developed India.
PM Modi asked the Union ministers to work with the vision of building a “Viksit Bharat” by 2047, stressing that the goal should be treated as a commitment rather than merely a slogan. The meeting, held at Seva Teerth from 5 pm, brought together Union Cabinet ministers, ministers of state with independent charge and ministers of state in what sources described as the first full Council of Ministers meeting of the year.
During the meeting, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also briefed ministers on the Prime Minister’s recent five-nation visit and the key diplomatic outcomes of the tour. A high-powered informal group of ministers led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is already monitoring the evolving situation. Rajnath Singh did not attend Thursday’s Council of Ministers meeting due to his visit to South Korea, while Health Minister JP Nadda is currently in Geneva.
PM Modi on Thursday returned to New Delhi after concluding a five-nation tour spanning the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy, focused on expanding India’s engagement in energy security, defence cooperation, trade and critical minerals. In the UAE, India signed multiple agreements covering strategic petroleum reserves, long-term LPG supply, defence and shipping, with Abu Dhabi also committing investments worth USD 5 billion. Modi’s meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan came against the backdrop of continuing tensions in West Asia.
Sweden and Norway also elevated ties, with cooperation frameworks announced in areas including clean energy, innovation, defence, digital technologies and critical minerals, alongside broader engagement at the India-Nordic Summit.
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