Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday thanked the country’s citizens for supporting his appeals, such as reducing fuel consumption and avoiding foreign travel, which were made in view of the West Asia crisis; He stressed the role of public participation in nation building.
While addressing the nation during the 135th episode of his monthly radio show ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Modi said: “In view of the war-like situation prevailing in West Asia, I have urged the citizens on some points. I have asked people to avoid buying gold for some time, as much as possible. I have urged people to avoid spending holidays abroad and encouraged the use of cars… Friends, I am grateful to every citizen of the country; they have not only supported my appeal, but are also actively cooperating in every way.”
He also noted that many families have taken to social media to write about postponing their foreign trips and postponing the purchase of gold for weddings.
The Prime Minister’s comments follow a series of appeals he made earlier this year amid rising tensions in West Asia, where he urged citizens to prioritize working from home, cut fuel consumption, avoid traveling abroad for a year, adopt swadeshi products, reduce the use of cooking oil, switch to natural farming, and limit gold purchases.
Recalling the first six months of 2026, the Prime Minister highlighted several milestones achieved under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, citing the maiden flight of the indigenously manufactured C-295 aircraft which will enhance indigenous aerospace manufacturing capabilities.
Modi noted that in June, the country achieved great success in the aviation sector by manufacturing the C-295 aircraft in India. “As many as 40 aircraft of this type are being built here in India, and this gives new strength to SMEs and the aviation sector,” he added.
India’s first military transport aircraft, C-295, successfully completed its maiden flight on June 10. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is purchasing 56 C-295 transport aircraft at a cost of approx $21,935 crores.
The Prime Minister also lauded India’s performance at the World Yoga Championships, where the country topped the medal tally with 114 medals, including 102 gold medals. Referring to International Yoga Day on June 21, he said various yoga programs were held in more than 2,500 places around the world, attracting the participation of millions of people.
Highlighting the importance of social security initiatives, Modi praised a family in Maharashtra’s Nanded district who arranged accident insurance cover. $1 lakh per about 3,500 villagers during a wedding. Linking the initiative to the Centre’s insurance schemes, he said over 580 million people have enrolled under the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and over 270 million people under the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, with thousands of crores already disbursed to the beneficiary families.
The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of scientific thinking while warning against myths. Purnima Devi Barman, a conservationist, praised the Harjela Army in Assam for changing public perceptions about the endangered greater stork through awareness and community engagement.
To promote sports among the youth, Modi highlighted the Nagaland Children’s Football Championship and the Nagaland Women’s Futsal League, describing them as models for nurturing sports talent from an early age.
Modi also spoke about reviving an ancient tradition by Nalanda University – the ‘Shastrarth’ tradition. He said that Shastrarth is not just a means of expressing one’s views, but a disciplined process of discussion, dialogue and deliberation.
Welcoming the Central Sanskrit University’s decision to launch a B.Tech program in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, he said it would help integrate modern technology with traditional knowledge systems in India and support the development of AI tools for Indian languages.
The Prime Minister also highlighted efforts to preserve India’s cultural heritage and environment. He expressed appreciation for a group in the Dominican Republic studying Vedic literature, praised Meghalaya’s centuries-old living root bridges – for which India has sought UNESCO World Heritage recognition – and praised women in Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district for turning plastic waste into eco-bricks.
With the Ganesh Utsav approaching in the coming months, Modi urged people to buy eco-friendly clay idols made by local artisans instead of plaster of Paris (PoP) idols, saying the decision will protect water bodies while strengthening the ‘Vocal for Local’ campaign.
Concluding his speech, Modi urged citizens to conserve every drop of rainwater, calling for renewed public participation in the “Catch the Rain” campaign launched by the federal government to boost water conservation efforts across the country. “Water conservation is a must! We must save every drop of rainwater. We cannot allow the momentum of the ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign to wane at all. So, I especially urge you: Let’s come together to save every drop of rain,” he said.
