Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked Bharat to cut down on fuel use, avoid buying gold for a year, reduce non-essential foreign spending and bring back work-from-home wherever possible, as the ongoing Iran-US conflict continues to disturb global oil supplies and put pressure on India’s import bill.
Speaking at a public function in Hyderabad on May 10, PM Modi said the country must treat fuel conservation as a national responsibility at a time when the West Asia crisis has pushed up global energy prices. He urged people to use petrol, diesel and gas “with restraint”, shift to public transport, carpool, avoid unnecessary travel and consider work-from-home arrangements similar to those used during the COVID period.
The Prime Minister also appealed to people not to buy gold for a year, saying such purchases add to the country’s foreign exchange burden. He asked citizens to rethink discretionary spending, reduce edible oil consumption, and called on farmers to cut dependence on chemical fertilisers imported from abroad.
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Why did PM Modi say this?
The message is not just about household savings. It is linked to India’s dependence on imported oil, gas, gold, fertilisers and edible oils.
India imports a large share of its energy needs. A government briefing in March said India imports about 60% of its LPG consumption, and nearly 90% of those LPG imports come through the Strait of Hormuz. The same briefing said India had routed about 70% of crude imports outside the Strait of Hormuz to keep supplies secure.
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The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important oil routes. According to the International Energy Agency, nearly 15 million barrels per day of crude oil passed through the Strait in 2025, accounting for around 34% of global crude oil trade, with much of it going to Asian buyers including China and India.
This is why even a disruption far away can quickly affect India. When crude oil becomes expensive, India has to spend more dollars to buy it. That can weaken the rupee, make imports costlier, and eventually increase pressure on fuel, transport, food and fertiliser prices.
Reuters reported that the rupee was expected to weaken after Brent crude jumped, with markets reacting to uncertainty around US-Iran peace talks. Brent crude had moved above $104 a barrel after US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s response to a peace proposal.
Why Fuel Conservation Matters
India imports a major share of its energy needs.
If crude oil becomes costlier:
- Petrol and diesel prices may come under pressure
- Transport costs may rise
- Inflation may increase
- The rupee may weaken
- India’s import bill may go up
- Government subsidy pressure may rise
PM Modi’s message was that saving fuel at the individual level can help reduce national economic pressure.
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Why Gold Purchases Were Mentioned?
Gold is largely imported into India. When people buy more gold, India spends more foreign exchange.
PM Modi urged people not to buy gold for one year so that the country can conserve dollars during this uncertain period.
Why Work-from-Home Was Suggested?
PM Modi called for reviving work-from-home practices because it can help reduce:
- Daily fuel consumption
- Traffic congestion
- Office travel
- Pressure on public transport
- Overall energy demand
This is similar to the approach used during the Covid period, but this time the reason is fuel conservation.
Why Edible Oil and Fertilisers Were Mentioned?
India imports a large quantity of edible oil and chemical fertilisers.
PM Modi’s appeal to reduce edible oil consumption and chemical fertiliser dependence is linked to reducing imports and saving foreign exchange.
For farmers, he suggested moving towards more sustainable and locally available alternatives where possible.
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Summing it up
PM Modi’s appeal is a reminder that global wars no longer remain distant events. A conflict in West Asia can affect the price of petrol in Delhi, cooking gas in Hyderabad, fertiliser for farmers in Punjab, and household budgets across the country.
For now, the government’s message is conservation, not panic. The next few weeks will be important. If oil prices cool and peace talks move forward, the pressure may ease. But if the conflict deepens or the Strait of Hormuz remains unstable, India may have to take tougher steps to protect supplies, control prices and manage foreign exchange outflow.
Key Points
- PM Modi spoke on May 10 in Hyderabad.
- He urged Indians not to buy gold for one year.
- He asked people to reduce petrol, diesel and LPG consumption.
- He suggested reviving work-from-home wherever possible.
- He called for reducing unnecessary foreign travel.
- He linked the appeal to conserving foreign exchange.
- He asked people to reduce edible oil consumption.
- He urged farmers to cut dependence on imported chemical fertilisers.
- The remarks came amid the Iran-US war and West Asia crisis.
- Global crude oil prices have surged due to supply concerns.
- The Strait of Hormuz remains a key risk point.
- India is vulnerable because it imports crude oil, LPG, gold, edible oil and fertilisers.
- Public reaction has been mixed.
- There is no official emergency, but the economic risk is serious.