New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reiterated his appeal for citizens to reduce dependence on imported products and strengthen the “Vocal for Local” movement amid continuing instability caused by the conflict in West Asia.

Addressing an event in Vadodara, Modi said the world has faced a series of major disruptions in recent years, beginning with the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by economic challenges and now the crisis in West Asia, which he described as “one of the major crises of this decade”.

The Prime Minister said rising tensions in the region have disrupted global energy supply chains and pushed up prices of imported goods, affecting economies worldwide, including India. Referring to the conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran, he noted that global instability continues to impact supply chains and trade.

Modi said India spends “lakhs of crores of rupees” in foreign exchange on imports and stressed the need for collective efforts to reduce unnecessary dependence on foreign goods and activities that involve heavy foreign exchange outflow.

“Every small and big effort matters,” he said, urging people to minimise the use of imported products in daily life and support domestic industries instead.

He recalled how citizens had responded during earlier national crises and said the country would similarly overcome the current challenge, just as it had during the pandemic. According to Modi, the government is taking continuous measures to minimise the impact of the global crisis on ordinary citizens.

The Prime Minister had made a similar appeal during a speech in Telangana on Sunday.

Modi also highlighted recent electoral successes for the BJP, saying the results from West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry had created enthusiasm across the country. He added that local body and panchayat election results in Gujarat reflected the people’s support for political stability and development.

He said Gujarat’s growth demonstrated the importance of stable governance in accelerating economic progress.

READ MORE: 10 Muslims women academicians of India

Earlier in the day, Modi attended the Somnath Amrut Mahotsav at Somnath Temple, commemorating 75 years since the inauguration of the restored temple. He participated in religious ceremonies including the Vishesh Maha Puja, Kumbhabhishek and Dhvajarohan rituals.