Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to cut fuel use and revive work-from-home practices.
The remarks come as the Strait of Hormuz closure tightens global oil supplies and raises the risk of sharper price spikes and shortages.
Modi Urges India to Cut Fuel Use, Revive Work-From-Home as Hormuz Closure Bites
Speaking in Hyderabad, the prime minister called on citizens to curb petrol and diesel consumption, increase the use of electric vehicles, shift freight transport to railways, and revive work-from-home practices seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In this time of global crisis, we have to make a resolution keeping duty paramount and fulfil it with complete dedication. A big resolution is to use petrol and diesel sparingly,” he said. “In the current situation, we must place great emphasis on saving foreign exchange.”
He also urged Indians to postpone foreign travel and gold purchases for a year, reduce cooking oil consumption, and asked farmers to cut fertilizer use by up to 50%, framing the measures as a national duty
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Governments Worldwide Take Measures as Oil Crisis Escalates
India isn’t the only country seeking to reduce fuel consumption. Several governments have rolled out comparable measures, according to the IEA’s tracker. In March, the Philippines declared a national energy emergency.
Bangladesh shut public and private universities to conserve electricity and fuel. Pakistan switched government workers to a four-day workweek and temporarily closed schools.
Meanwhile, South Korea asked private vehicle owners to refrain from driving 1 day per week. Some countries have also encouraged temperature limits on air conditioners, including Cambodia and Malaysia.
The measures highlight growing global efforts to counter the economic fallout from the US-Iran conflict and the resulting strain on global energy markets.
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