PM Modi Urges Indians to Cut Fuel Use, Avoid Gold Purchases Amid Global Crisis
By TRH News Desk
New Delhi, May 11, 2026 — For second day in a row, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a national response to the Middle East crisis, while recalling the Corona virus pandemic. Speaking of the Covid-19 and the Middle East crisis in the same breath, Modi reiterated that the people should come forth for a collective response.
Speaking during the inauguration of the Sardardham Hostel in Vadodara, Modi said: “If the Covid-19 was a crisis of the century, the Middle East tension is a challenge of a decade.” He reiterated his call made yesterday in a speech in Hyderabad for the people to cut down on fuel consumption.
Stepping up his call for austerity, Modi also called upon for the online classes in schools. He reiterated that the government and private offices should explore the option of work from home (WFH).
His call for the people to shun buying jewellery for a year on Monday sent jewellery stocks crashing in the stock market. Several of the jewellery stocks crashed by almost 10 percent on Monday.
Modi reiterated his call for “a nationwide movement to reduce dependence on imported goods and conserve foreign exchange.” He cited rising global instability and escalating tensions in West Asia as major challenges facing India and the world.
The Prime Minister said “the world has been passing through prolonged uncertainty in recent years — from the COVID-19 pandemic to economic disruptions and now geopolitical conflict in West Asia.”
“If the coronavirus pandemic was the biggest crisis of this century, then the war-like situation in West Asia is among the biggest crises of this decade,” Modi said. He stressed that “India must prepare collectively to overcome the impact.”
The Prime Minister appealed to citizens to voluntarily reduce the burden on national resources by cutting consumption of imported products, especially fuel and edible oil. He noted that India spends “lakhs of crores” in foreign exchange on imports while global supply chains remain disrupted and commodity prices continue to rise.
Highlighting India’s dependence on crude oil imports, Modi urged people to minimise petrol and diesel consumption wherever possible. He encouraged greater use of metro rail systems, electric buses, public transport, and carpooling. He also called on offices to prioritise virtual meetings and work-from-home arrangements to save fuel and reduce costs.
Modi suggested that schools could temporarily consider online classes to help ease pressure on transportation systems. He also appealed to citizens to reduce edible oil consumption, saying it would benefit both the country’s economy and public health.
In a notable appeal, the Prime Minister urged Indians to postpone gold purchases until global conditions stabilise, saying gold imports significantly drain foreign exchange reserves. He also criticised the growing trend of overseas vacations and destination weddings, arguing that such practices increase outflow of Indian money.
“India has countless beautiful and sacred places for tourism and weddings,” Modi said, encouraging citizens to choose domestic destinations instead. He specifically promoted the Statue of Unity as a potential hub for destination weddings and tourism.
He also advocated natural farming, solar-powered irrigation pumps, and reduced use of chemical fertilisers, saying farmers must protect “Dharti Maa” — Mother Earth — for future generations.
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