India convened the Influenza Chintan Shivir from 22–23 December 2025, a two-day hybrid meeting that brought together key national ministries, scientific institutions, and partners to strengthen interministerial and intersectoral coordination for influenza preparedness, surveillance, and response. The workshop emphasized influenza as a persistent public health threat and a crucial entry point for reinforcing national and regional health security. Technical sessions provided a global and regional overview of influenza risk, with WHO presenting updates on global influenza activity and the ongoing role of GISRS in surveillance, virus characterization, and risk assessment. Presentations highlighted continuous influenza activity in the WHO South-East Asia Region, demonstrating that influenza is a year-round stressor on regional health systems. The workshop reaffirmed India’s commitment to a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to influenza preparedness, leveraging existing systems, strengthening coordination mechanisms, and embedding influenza preparedness within broader health security frameworks to enhance regional and global resilience.