PM Modi reiterates appeal to buy local, avoid foreign travel and weddings and stop buying unnecessary gold

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has renewed his call for economic self-reliance and national austerity, urging Indian citizens to avoid foreign travel, host weddings domestically, and refrain from buying gold unless necessary. The Prime Minister made the statement following the release of official government data on Monday, August 31, 2026, which revealed that India achieved a Gross Domestic Product growth rate of 7.8% in the April-June 2026 quarter.

The economic expansion of 7.8% in the first quarter represents an acceleration compared to the 6.9% growth recorded in the same period last year. Commending the nation on its performance, Prime Minister Modi stated that the economic progress is a significant achievement given the challenging global environment.

In a social media statement, Modi noted that global supply chains remain severely disturbed while international conflicts and crises persist across the world. He emphasized that despite continuous global instability since the start of the 2020 pandemic, India has managed to maintain a fast pace of growth.

To sustain this economic momentum, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of protecting the country's foreign exchange reserves by limiting non-essential expenditure abroad. He specifically encouraged the public to support local industries and domestic tourism under the concept of Swadeshi.

In his video address, Modi urged citizens to refrain from international vacation travel and to avoid hosting destination weddings in foreign countries. He called on families to embrace the mantra of Wed in India and advised against buying gold unless required. He expressed confidence that if the country consistently prioritizes self-reliance, India will successfully transition into a fully developed nation by its centenary of independence.

This address reiterates an austerity campaign launched by the Prime Minister earlier in May 2026 amid global economic uncertainties linked to the conflict in Iran. During that appeal, Modi outlined several measures to reduce fuel and import bills while strengthening domestic production.

The earlier guidance asked citizens to pause foreign travel and suspend gold purchases for at least one year. It also advised people to adopt work-from-home practices, use public transport and electric vehicles to lower petrol and diesel consumption, reduce cooking oil usage, choose domestic products over imported items, and switch from imported chemical fertilizers to natural alternatives in agriculture.

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