PM on Iran crisis fallout: We’ll overcome together

PRime government minister Narendra Modi on sun said the domain has in time to take back to a stable path of progress after the Covid-19 pandemic, with recurring conflicts continuing to disrupt recovery, even as he asserted that the ongoing crisis caused by the war in West Asia would be overcome by the country’s 1.4 billion together.“All of us remember that the entire world faced myriad problems for a long time on account of Covid-19. Indeed, all of us had expected that after emerging from the Corona crisis, the world would move forward on the path of renewed progress. However, situations of war and conflict have continuously kept arising in different parts of the world.” the PM said while addressing the nation in the 132nd episode of his monthly Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast.He pointed to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, now over a month old, underlining its direct implications for the country. “Presently, a fierce war has been going on in our neighbourhood… more than one crore Indians live and work in these countries, especially in the Gulf region,” Modi said, highlighting the scale of Indian presence in the conflict-linked region.The PM also flagged the economic fallout, particularly on energy security. “The region where the war is currently going on is a major centre of our energy needs. On account of that, a crisis is emerging around the world regarding petrol and diesel,” he said.Framing the moment as one of heightened uncertainty, Modi issued a call for collective restraint and vigilance. “I would once again urge all my countrymen that we must unitedly overcome this challenge. Those who are politicising even this issue should refrain from doing so,” he said. “Therefore, those who are spreading rumours are causing a major harm to the country.... As always, I am confident that just as we have overcome past crises with the strength of our 140 crore countrymen; this time too, we will together emerge victorious from this difficult situation.Beyond the geopolitical concerns, Modi shifted focus to domestic initiatives and community-led efforts, emphasising public participation as a key strength. He highlighted the Gyan Bharatam survey to document manuscripts and the role of MY Bharat in engaging youth in policymaking, including a nationwide budget quiz that saw participation from lakhs of young people.The address also touched on recent sporting successes, such as India’s T20 World Cup victory and Jammu and Kashmir’s first Ranji Trophy title in nearly seven decades, which he said would inspire youth participation in sports. Modi lauded captain Paras Dogra and bowler Aaqib Nabi for their performances.He further underscored grassroots efforts in water conservation, citing examples from Tripura, Chhattisgarh and Telangana, and noted that over five million water harvesting structures and 70,000 Amrit Sarovars have been created across the country. “I am happy to see that community-level efforts are now underway in every village to address the water crisis. At some places, old ponds are being cleaned; at others, efforts are being made to conserve rainwater,” he said.