India, May 12 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reiterated his call to reduce the use of petrol and diesel, promote work-from-home and virtual meetings, and avoid non-essential foreign spending such as gold purchases and overseas travel, citing the unstable global situation arising from tensions in West Asia.

Addressing a large gathering in Vadodara after inaugurating the Sardar Dham Hostel, also known as Sardardham-3 or the Dushyant and Daksha Patel Complex, the PM urged citizens to treat these measures as a national duty.

Modi said the global situation had put pressure on India's economy and resources. "In the last few years, the world has been going through a series of uncertainties. First, the Covid-19 crisis, then the globa...