Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, a high-level security meeting was convened at Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s official residence, Varsha, to strengthen coordination between the Maharashtra government and the Indian defence forces. The meeting underscored the need for enhanced preparedness and tighter civil-military integration in light of emerging threats.
Fadnavis chaired the meeting, which was attended by Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. Top brass from the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force participated, including Lt General Pawan Chaddha, Colonel Sandeep Seal, Rear Admiral Anil Jaggi, Naval Commander Nitesh Garg and Air Vice Marshal Rajat Mohan. Also in attendance were Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik and senior representatives from the Reserve Bank of India, JNPT, Mumbai Port Trust, BSE, NSE, ATS and Home Guards.
The discussions focused on improving the sharing of intelligence, using better technology and strengthening coordination between different agencies. One of the main outcomes was a decision to set up a quick-response system to ensure smooth cooperation between the state government and the defence forces.
Commending the armed forces, Fadnavis remarked, “The strength and precision with which the Indian Army executed Operation Sindoor is unparalleled. I salute our defence personnel for their courage and commitment.” Highlighting Mumbai’s strategic importance, he added, “Mumbai is not just the financial capital of India, but a symbolic target during past attacks. Going forward, our intelligence networks must be sharper and our cybersecurity measures more robust. Civil and defence leadership must collaborate closely to protect our state and its people.”
The meeting was also attended by senior bureaucrats including Additional Chief Secretary to the CM Vikas Kharge, Additional Chief Secretary Ashwini Bhide, Secretary Shrikar Pardeshi, ACS (Home) Iqbal Singh Chahal, DGP Rashmi Shukla, Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, Additional Municipal Commissioner Vipin Sharma, and other key officials from disaster management, intelligence and district administrations.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, DyCM Shinde shared further details. He said that although the war at the border has stopped, the threat is not completely over. Therefore, to ensure better coordination between the state government and the three defence forces, it has been decided to appoint a nodal officer. He also mentioned that a review of the security of all key buildings in Mumbai will be conducted, and mock drills will be carried out to maintain alertness. For the protection of the state’s 720-km-long coastline, boats will be given barcodes for tracking, and special attention will be paid to monitoring landing points. Additionally, strict action will be taken to prevent the spread of fake news and objectionable content on social media. Considering Mumbai’s importance as the financial capital of India, it was decided that maximum information should be shared among all agencies to maintain effective coordination.
As the coming days are expected to be risky, special precautions are being taken by state government.
