Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Indian households to reduce their consumption of edible cooking oil by 10 percent [2].
The initiative aims to tackle a dual crisis of public health and economic instability by reducing the nation's reliance on expensive imports. By lowering domestic demand, the government seeks to preserve foreign exchange reserves, and promote healthier dietary habits across the population.
Speaking in Hyderabad on Sunday, Modi said that reducing oil intake would benefit both the nation and the individual. "Isse desh seva bhi hogi aur deh seva bhi hogi," Modi said [1].
The economic driver for the request is the significant cost of vegetable oil imports. India imported vegetable oils worth $19.5 billion in FY 2025-26 [1]. This expenditure puts pressure on the national treasury and increases vulnerability to global price fluctuations, a trend the government hopes to reverse through self-reliance.
To achieve these goals, the Prime Minister urged citizens to embrace Swadeshi products and support natural farming. He said that shifting toward locally produced alternatives and traditional agricultural methods would reduce the need for foreign currency outflows [1].
This call for a 10 percent reduction [2] is framed as a collective effort to strengthen India's economic sovereignty. The government is encouraging households to adopt kitchen tips that reduce oil usage without sacrificing flavor, linking personal wellness to national economic strength [2].
“"Isse desh seva bhi hogi aur deh seva bhi hogi."”
This move signals a strategic shift toward 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (Self-Reliant India) by targeting the domestic kitchen. By framing a 10% reduction in oil use as both a health necessity and a patriotic act of 'desh seva,' the government is attempting to lower a massive import bill that impacts the current account deficit while simultaneously addressing the long-term public health burden of diet-related diseases.
