Amid the ongoing war in West Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday offered assurance to the nation but cautioned that India must be prepared for the long-term impacts of the conflict. Speaking in the Lok Sabha on mitigation efforts, he emphasized that the country must face challenges as it did during the Covid‑19 pandemic.
"The difficult conditions created in the world by this war are likely to have lasting effects for a long time. We have faced many such challenges even during the Covid-19 pandemic, and now we must be ready to face them again. We need to confront every challenge with patience, restraint, and calmness, this is our identity, this is our strength," PM Modi said.
He acknowledged that movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil chokepoint, has been severely affected but added that the Centre is striving to maintain petrol, diesel, and gas supplies.
"A significant portion of India’s crude oil, gas, and fertiliser supplies comes through the Strait of Hormuz. In the current situation, movement of ships through the Strait has become very challenging. Despite this, the government is making every effort to ensure that the supply of petrol, diesel, and gas is not significantly affected," he said.
"The Government of India has formed an inter-ministerial group that meets daily to assess challenges in imports and exports and work on necessary solutions ... The country’s farmers have ensured that our food reserves are well-stocked, and India has sufficient food grains. Efforts are also being made to ensure proper sowing during the season," he added.
PM Modi stressed the government’s focus on minimizing difficulties for people: "We all know that India meets nearly 60 per cent of its LPG requirement through imports. Due to supply uncertainties, the government has prioritised domestic use of LPG, while also increasing production within the country. Even as petrol and diesel supplies continue across the country, the government is consistently working to address these challenges," he said.