Narendra Modi

From Modi's austerity appeal and India's learning crisis to geopolitical trade shifts, AI accountability and public health reforms - here are today's key Opinion takeaways

Hotel chains and industry bodies expect stronger domestic tourism demand after PM Modi urged citizens to avoid non-essential foreign travel

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's UAE stopover will focus on energy cooperation and Fujairah as India seeks alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz route

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged citizens and businesses to adopt work-from-home and virtual meetings wherever possible to reduce fuel consumption amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainties. The mo

The free trade agreement (FTA) between India and Oman is expected to come into force from June 1, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday. The pact was signed in December 2025. "I have had a good meeting with Oman team today and most probably the Oman free trade agreement will come into effect from June 1, 2026," he told reporters here. The Oman team is here to discuss ways to boost trade and investments. The agreement will provide duty-free access to 98 per cent of India's exports, including textiles, agri, and leather goods in Oman. On the other hand, India will reduce tariffs on Omanese products such as dates, marbles and petrochemical items. When asked about his meeting with the Chilean foreign minister here, Goyal said there are challenges given the different size of the economies and different scale of opportunities that both countries offer to each other. "We are trying to bridge that gap through innovative solutions. "If we get a good deal around crit

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over austerity measures he has asked people to follow and said he needs to tell people about the condition of the country's economy. Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said the country has passed through crises, including wars, in the past, but no prime minister before Modi announced seven most stringent steps, requesting people to follow them. He also said the obvious reason behind the austerity measures suggested by Modi was the ongoing war between America and Iran, but "there could be some other reason behind the slipping economy of the country". The former Delhi chief minister also questioned why all the austerity measures were targeted at the middle class and why the prime minister himself, ministers, officers and ultra rich of the country should not have to make the sacrifices. The prime minister recently appealed to people to limit their purchase of gold, foreign travel and use of .

PM Modi's austerity appeal recalls how India used gold curbs, NRI deposits, bonds, and IMF loans to protect forex reserves in past crises

Experts believe the markets, which were already nervous owing to the West Asia war, may have overreacted to PM Modi's appeal for austerity measures given the sharp fall seen in the last two days.

At the moment, markets are driven far more by global developments than domestic factors, Shah said. The biggest concern globally, he feels, is energy supply and energy prices.

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed for austerity measures in view of the tensions in West Asia, India's rising gold imports are drawing attention. Emphasising that the Centre is trying to shield people from the adverse impact of the conflict in West Asia, Modi on Sunday called for judicious use of fuel, postponement of gold purchases and foreign travel, among other measures, to strengthen the economy. Here are a few questions and answers to understand gold imports in India. IMPORT DATA: India's gold imports rose over 24 per cent to an all time high of USD 71.98 billion in 2025-26. It was USD 58 billion in 2024-25, USD 45.54 billion in 2023-24, USD 35 billion in 2022-23, USD 46.14 billion in 2021-22, USD 34.62 billion in 2020-21, and USD 28.2 billion in 2019-20. In volume terms, however, it dipped 4.76 per cent to 721.03 tonnes in 2025-26 from 757.09 tonnes in 2024-25. It was 795.2 tonnes in 2023-24 and 678.3 tonnes in 2022-23. India is the world's second-biggest gold ..

President Trump said the fragile cease-fire was on 'life support,' and India's leader urged residents to cut back on purchases and travel

Companies still weighing work from home appeal

On National Technology Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday remembered the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests and said India is emerging as a global leader in different aspects of technology. National Technology Day commemorates the momentous events of May 11, 1998, when India conducted successful nuclear tests under Operation Shakti and saw the maiden flight of the indigenously-developed Hansa-3 aircraft. In recognition of these achievements, then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had declared May 11 as National Technology Day. "Best wishes on National Technology Day! This is a day to express pride and gratitude to our scientists and remember the 1998 Pokhran tests. They were a landmark event in our nation's growth trajectory, especially in our quest towards self-reliance," Modi said in a post on X. "Powered by our people, India is emerging as a global leader in different aspects of technology, be it space, AI, digital innovation, green technology and more," he said. Modi reaffi

PM Narendra Modi's UAE stopover during his Europe tour will centre on energy security, trade and investment ties amid disruptions caused by the West Asia conflict

Shares of jewellery, travel and hospitality firms fell after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged restraint in gold purchases and foreign travel amid forex pressures

The diversified Bajaj group, having interests in auto and financial services, turned 100 years old on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the group's work through the decades, noting that it has helped in the cause of nation-building. "Over the decades, the Bajaj Group has played an important role in nation-building by creating jobs, fostering innovation and supporting community development," Modi said in a congratulatory message. The group celebrated with an event in central Mumbai on Monday that was attended by a slew of politicians, business people and others. Founded in 1926 in Mumbai by Jamnalal Bajaj, who was also actively involved in the freedom struggle and is considered the fifth adopted son of Mahatma Gandhi, the group now has a market capitalisation of USD 148 billion and employs 1.3 lakh people. Amid the greater thrust on domestic manufacturing, Niraj Bajaj, the chairman of Bajaj Auto, reminded that India's journey towards self-reliance did not begin recently,

The tourism industry backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for economic prudence and called for stronger efforts to boost inbound tourism

As India faces rising geopolitical and oil market uncertainty, could PM Modi's work-from-home message force India Inc to rethink its return-to-office push?

Work-from-home can reduce commute-linked fuel use in major cities, but experts say the overall energy impact depends on office and household power use

As oil prices rise globally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urges Indians to save fuel and delay gold purchases. Is this an early warning sign for India's economy and future price pressures?