Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens on Sunday, May 10, to use fuel judiciously and opt for 'work from home' (WFH) amid ongoing tensions between US and Iran that have caused global energy crisis.
The conflict, now in its third month, disrupted global supplies with the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, pushing crude prices higher. President Donald Trump-led US administration and Iran rejected each other's latest peace proposals to end the war.
Why PM Modi advocated for 'work from home'
In an address, PM Modi said that the need of the hour is saving fuel, while he acknowledged the spike in prices due to the US-Iran war in the Middle East. He asked Indians to save foreign exchange “by any means”.
Emphasising on the need to use fuel judiciously, the prime minister said, “We got into work-from-home, virtual meetings, video conferencing, and many other methods during Covid-19. We got habituated to them. The need of the hour is to resume those methods. During a global crisis, keeping the country above all else, we have to take resolutions.”
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PM Modi asked citizens in metro-connected cities to switch to public transport and encouraged carpooling for those who must drive. He also called on electric vehicle owners to maximise their use of EVs.
He voiced for postponing gold purchases and non-urgent foreign travel and further asked people to cut down the consumption of edible oil, reduce the use of chemical fertilisers, advocating natural farming and use of Swadeshi products.
India imports around 85 per cent of its crude oil requirements, making it acutely vulnerable to price shocks triggered by geopolitical instability in the Middle East.
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