# Sitharaman calls for stronger States and Centre 2026-08-07T05:41:55+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said India needs every State to become stronger, with “laggard” States receiving handholding and resources to improve. Speaking at the India Policy Forum 2026 in New Delhi, she said States that have fallen behind must be helped to catch up, while being told they cannot remain laggards. Sitharaman also argued that India needs a strong Centre to manage defence, exports and manufacturing, areas that individual States cannot handle for the country as a whole. She cautioned against States competing for industries through a “beggar your neighbour” approach. The Centre, she said, must set policy and help build capacity in underdeveloped regions, while empowering every State with resources. ## Coverage - thehindu.com Tags: Centre-State relations, economic policy, federalism, Nirmala Sitharaman, State governments Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/sitharaman-calls-for-stronger-states-and-centre/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/sitharaman-calls-for-stronger-states-and-centre/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.