PM Modi urges citizens to cut petrol use, skip gold purchases for a year amid West Asia crisis

📌 Summary:

• PM Modi, addressing a public meeting in Hyderabad, made an unprecedented national appeal for collective sacrifice amid the ongoing West Asia conflict that has disrupted global energy supplies.

• Key appeals: (1) Use public transport, metros, carpooling; (2) Increase use of EVs; (3) Revive Covid-era work-from-home and virtual meetings; (4) Avoid non-essential foreign travel for a year; (5) Avoid gold purchases for a year; (6) Prioritise locally-made goods over imports.

• Context: West Asia war (Iran-related conflict began February 28, 2026) has caused a crisis in the Strait of Hormuz — a critical chokepoint through which India imports ~80% of its crude oil.

• The Strait of Hormuz crisis has disrupted global energy supply chains, pushed crude prices higher, and increased India's foreign exchange outgo on oil and gold.

• "During a global crisis, we have to take resolutions keeping the country above all" — PM Modi's framing positions conservation as a national duty.

• Gold imports are India's second-largest import item after crude oil; cutting gold purchases directly reduces CAD (Current Account Deficit) pressure.

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 — Indian Economy (energy security, current account deficit, forex reserves); also GS2 (governance, PM's role in public policy communication).

📝 Prelims Facts:

• Strait of Hormuz: ~80% of India's crude oil passes through this chokepoint; controlled by Iran-UAE geography.
• India's crude oil import dependence: ~85% of domestic consumption is imported.
• Current Account Deficit (CAD): India's CAD is heavily influenced by oil and gold imports.
• Gold is India's second largest import after crude oil; India is one of the world's largest gold consumers.

🔑 Key Term: Strait of Hormuz — a narrow strait between Iran and the Oman peninsula; the world's most important oil chokepoint through which ~20% of global oil trade passes; critical to India's energy security.