PM Modi urges Indians to avoid foreign travel and gold purchases
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged Indians to avoid non-essential foreign travel, overseas weddings and unnecessary gold purchases as the country records strong economic growth. His appeal came alongside India’s 7.8% GDP growth in Q1 FY27, with the government placing renewed emphasis on self-reliance and domestic consumption.
Speaking in a selfie-style video from Bishkek, where he is attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, Modi congratulated the country on its latest economic performance. He said Indians could support the economy by giving greater preference to locally made products and reducing spending on non-essential imports.
The PM Modi foreign travel and gold purchase appeal included a call to reconsider leisure trips abroad. Modi also asked people to avoid holding weddings overseas and purchasing gold when there is no immediate need for it.
The Prime Minister linked the message to the broader idea of swadeshi and self-reliance. Encouraging consumers to choose Indian products could help strengthen domestic businesses and keep more spending within the country.
The PM Modi foreign travel and gold purchase appeal also comes as India focuses on sustaining economic momentum. Data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation showed that real GDP increased 7.8% during the April-June quarter of FY27.
Modi connected stronger domestic economic activity with India’s long-term ambition of becoming a developed country by 2047. He said greater emphasis on self-reliance in India could contribute to that goal and create stronger economic opportunities for the next generation.
The message also highlighted the government’s continuing focus on swadeshi products. The approach encourages consumers to consider Indian-made alternatives when making purchasing decisions, particularly where imported goods are not essential.
India’s 7.8% growth in the first quarter provides a strong starting point for FY27. The government’s challenge will be to maintain that momentum while encouraging investment, consumption and domestic production.
Modi’s remarks place self-reliance in India at the centre of the economic message, with the 2047 developed-India goal providing the longer-term direction for the policy approach.
