PM Modi urges people to reduce petrol usage, avoid foreign trips and avoid buying gold

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged Indians to reduce fuel consumption, avoid unnecessary foreign travel and postpone buying gold for a year, as tensions in the Middle East escalate and concerns grow about disruptions to global oil supplies. He warned that the ongoing geopolitical crisis will have a direct impact on India's economy.

• Narendra Modi has urged Indians to reduce their consumption of petrol, diesel and gas as rising tensions in the Middle East disrupt global oil supplies.
• He asked citizens to avoid non-essential foreign travel, postpone gold purchases for a year, and reduce consumption of edible oil to reduce pressure on India's foreign exchange reserves.
• Modi also called for working from home, increased use of public transport and organic farming, as part of a broader effort to prepare India for the economic shocks from the ongoing crisis.

Addressing a public rally in Hyderabad after inaugurating development projects worth around Rs 9,400 crore, Modi said the ongoing conflict in the Middle East would affect India through fuel price hikes, disruptions in supply chains and increased import costs.

"It is the need of the hour to use petrol, diesel and gas with utmost restraint," Modi urged citizens to reduce unnecessary fuel consumption.

Promote public transportation and reduce fuel consumption.

The Prime Minister urged citizens to rethink their daily travel habits and reduce their reliance on private vehicles. He urged those living in cities with metro connectivity to use public transport more, suggesting carpooling as another way to reduce fuel consumption.

Narendra Modi has urged Indians to reduce their consumption of petrol, diesel and gas as rising tensions in the Middle East disrupt global oil supplies.

He asked citizens to avoid non-essential foreign travel, postpone gold purchases for a year, and reduce consumption of edible oil to reduce pressure on India's foreign exchange reserves.

Modi also called for working from home, increased use of public transport and organic farming, as part of a broader effort to prepare India for the economic shocks from the ongoing crisis.

As conflicts in the Middle East threaten global oil supplies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is calling for economic vigilance and lifestyle changes to help India weather possible shocks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged Indians to reduce fuel consumption, avoid unnecessary foreign travel and postpone buying gold for a year, as tensions in the Middle East escalate and concerns grow about disruptions to global oil supplies. He warned that the ongoing geopolitical crisis will have a direct impact on India's economy.

Addressing a public rally in Hyderabad after inaugurating development projects worth around Rs 9,400 crore, Modi said the ongoing conflict in the Middle East would affect India through fuel price hikes, disruptions in supply chains and increased import costs.

"It is the need of the hour to use petrol, diesel and gas with utmost restraint," Modi urged citizens to reduce unnecessary fuel consumption.

Promote public transportation and reduce fuel consumption.

The Prime Minister urged citizens to rethink their daily travel habits and reduce their reliance on private vehicles. He urged those living in cities with metro connectivity to use public transport more, suggesting carpooling as another way to reduce fuel consumption.

He also encouraged the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. He said businesses should consider shifting freight transport from roads to railways wherever possible to reduce fuel costs.

The return of working from home as a financial tool

Drawing comparisons to the Covid-19 pandemic, Modi said companies should consider remote work arrangements again wherever possible.

He noted that virtual meetings, online conferences, and work-from-home systems have worked effectively during the pandemic and may again help reduce unnecessary travel and fuel use.

Avoid buying gold for a year. 

One of the biggest talking points in Modi's speech was his appeal to citizens to refrain from buying gold for a year.

He said India spends a significant amount of foreign exchange on gold imports every year and reducing demand during a period of global uncertainty will help ease economic pressure.

The Prime Minister specifically requested that families planning weddings and celebrations reconsider purchasing gold in large quantities, keeping in mind the national interest.

"Gold imports consume a large amount of foreign exchange. In the national interest, we should refrain from buying gold for a year," he said.

Delay foreign holiday trips

Modi also asked Indians to postpone non-essential foreign travel, including foreign vacations and destination weddings.

He said spending within India will help preserve foreign exchange reserves and also support domestic tourism and businesses.

Call to reduce edible oil imports

The Prime Minister also mentioned India's dependence on edible oil imports and urged families to reduce excessive consumption.

He linked reducing the use of cooking oil not only to economic gains but also to health benefits.

Message to farmers

Modi directed his message towards India's farming community, calling on farmers to reduce their use of chemical fertilizers and move towards natural farming methods.

He encouraged the use of solar-powered pumps in the agricultural sector as part of broader efforts to reduce diesel dependency .

During the visit, Modi also inaugurated several major infrastructure projects in Telangana, including highway upgrades, railway projects, and the country's first fully functional PM Mitra Textile Park in Warangal.

Built at a cost of Rs 1,700 crore, PM Mitra Park is expected to strengthen India's textile manufacturing ecosystem under the government's "Farm to Fiber, Factory to Fashion Abroad" strategy.