PM Modi’s Vadodara Roadshow: A Call for Self-Reliance Amid Global Crises

Surrounded by a sea of cheering supporters, PM Modi waved to the enthusiastic crowds lining his route.

Before this, PM Modi addressed a gathering after inaugurating Sardardham Hostel in Vadodara and reiterated his appeal to help navigate the economic challenges due to the geopolitical tensions in West Asia, calling for people to take collective responsibility for reducing the burden on the nation's resources.

Adressing the gathering in Vadodara in Gujarat, Prime Minister Modi noted that India does not remain "untouched" as the world has been going through a turbulent time, with COVID pandemic, economic challenges and the crisis in West Asia. He highlighted the gravity of the West Asia conflict by terming it "one of the major crises of this decade".

Calling for collective efforts to reduce imports, he said, "There is a need for all of us to come together and fulfil our responsibility to reduce the burden on the country's resources. India spends lakhs of crores of rupees in foreign exchange to import many products from abroad. At the same time, the prices of imported goods are soaring, and global supply chains have also been severely disrupted. Just as every drop fills a pot, every small and big effort matters. We must reduce the use of products that come from abroad and avoid unnecessary dependence on imported goods in our daily lives, and also avoid such personal activities that involve spending foreign exchange."

PM Modi stressed that his government is working to ensure minimum disruption to citizens' lives amid global crises.

"Over the past few years, the world has been continuously passing through unstable circumstances. First, the crisis of COVID, then global economic challenges, and now the rising tensions in West Asia. The impact of all these situations is continuously falling on the entire world, and India is not untouched by it either," he added.

He further said that until things return to normal, small yet meaningful steps would contribute to the nation's interest."A major share of India's imports comes from crude oil. Unfortunately, the very region that supplies oil to a large part of the world is currently caught in a situation of conflict and instability. Therefore, until conditions return to normal, all of us will have to take small yet meaningful resolutions in our daily lives for the larger interest of the nation."

PM Modi had made a similar appeal in his speech in Telangana on Sunday.

The conflict between US and Israel on one side and Iran on the other started on February 28. US and Iran have been observing a "shaky" ceasefire since March 7. The conflict has caused disruptions in global energy supply chains.

- ANI