India, Sept. 2 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday renewed his appeal to citizens to avoid buying gold unless necessary and to choose domestic destinations over foreign holidays, linking greater spending within the country to the goal of sustaining and accelerating India's economic growth.

Congratulating people on India's 7.8% economic growth in the April-June quarter, Modi said in a video message on social media that the growth momentum had to be maintained and accelerated. "We have to maintain this growth momentum, and also to accelerate it," Modi said in Hindi.

Achieving that goal required advancing the vision of "Atmanirbhar Bharat", or a self-reliant India, he said, stressing the "mantra of swadeshi" and "vocal for local". I...