Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday once again urged citizens to adopt austerity measures in view of the ongoing crisis in West Asia, calling on people to reduce fuel consumption, use public transport and electric vehicles more often, and postpone gold purchases for a year.
Addressing a gathering in Vadodara after inaugurating the Sardar Dham Hostel built by the Patidar community, Modi said India must prepare itself to face the economic impact of global instability, especially disruptions linked to the conflict in West Asia.
“The West Asia crisis is one of the worst in the decade; just as we overcame the COVID-19 pandemic, we will come out of this also,” Modi said during his speech.
PM Suggests Work From Home and Less Foreign Travel
The Prime Minister said citizens have always stood with the country during difficult periods and appealed for similar cooperation now. He stressed the need to reduce unnecessary spending involving foreign currency, especially imports.
“Whenever India faced war or any other major crisis, citizens fulfilled their responsibilities upon the government’s appeal; we need to do the same today,” he said.
Modi urged people to cut down on fuel use by choosing public transport, carpooling, or electric vehicles whenever possible. He also encouraged companies and offices to revive work-from-home practices introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We must make every effort to reduce the use of imported products and avoid personal activities that involve spending foreign currency,” he added.
The Prime Minister also advised citizens to avoid non-essential foreign travel in order to help conserve foreign exchange reserves.
Gold Import Concerns Highlighted
A major part of Modi’s appeal focused on reducing gold imports, which place pressure on India’s foreign exchange reserves. India is one of the world’s largest importers of gold, while also heavily depending on West Asia for crude oil and LPG supplies.
He appealed to citizens to defer gold purchases in light of the current global situation and economic uncertainty.
This was the second consecutive day Modi spoke publicly about austerity measures. He had first raised the issue during an event in Telangana on Sunday before repeating the message in Gujarat on Monday.
Opposition Questions Government’s Economic Concerns
The Prime Minister’s remarks have also triggered political reactions, with opposition leaders questioning whether the government is anticipating a larger economic challenge due to rising global tensions and import costs.
However, the government has maintained that the appeal is a precautionary step aimed at strengthening economic resilience and reducing dependence on imports during an uncertain global situation.
