Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Indian citizens to conserve petrol and diesel to save foreign exchange during a visit to Telangana.
The appeal comes as a conflict between Iran and the U.S. disrupts global crude oil flows, threatening the economic stability of nations reliant on imports. Because India lacks domestic oil wells, the government is vulnerable to price spikes and supply shortages caused by geopolitical instability.
Modi said that India must rely on its citizens to limit fuel consumption to mitigate the pressure on foreign-exchange reserves. He said that the country is entirely dependent on foreign sources for its petroleum needs.
"India does not have its own oil wells and we have to depend on foreign countries for petrol-diesel," Modi said.
The current crisis is centered on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint. Approximately 20% [1] of global crude oil transits the strait, and the ongoing conflict has severely hindered the flow of these resources to international markets.
India's lack of domestic production makes it particularly susceptible to these disruptions. The Prime Minister's call for conservation is an effort to reduce the volume of imports required to sustain the economy while the global market remains volatile.
Government officials have not yet specified a target for the reduction in fuel consumption, but the appeal emphasizes a collective national effort to weather the energy crisis.
“India does not have its own oil wells and we have to depend on foreign countries for petrol-diesel”
This appeal signals a critical vulnerability in India's energy security. By linking citizen behavior to the preservation of foreign-exchange reserves, the government is acknowledging that the Iran-US conflict is not merely a diplomatic issue but a direct threat to India's macroeconomic stability. The reliance on the Strait of Hormuz highlights the precarious nature of India's energy supply chain.
