Somnath, May 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday drew parallels to the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests, asserting that no power in the world can make India bow or succumb under pressure.

Addressing a gathering here at Somnath Amrut Mahotsav, marking 75 years of the inauguration of the restored temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, he also said that “forces” in the country continue to prioritise appeasement politics over national self-respect. A similar mindset was witnessed during opposition to the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the PM noted.

“While India attained Independence in 1947, the Pran Pratishtha (consecration ceremony) of Somnath in 1951 served as a proclamation of India’s liberated consciousness,” he said.

Modi stressed that the ‘Amrut Mahotsav’ of Somnath is not merely a commemoration of the past, but it is also a festival of inspiration for India for the next thousand years.

May 11 is a significant date as it not only marks the consecration of the Somnath temple, but also India’s nuclear tests in 1998 under the leadership of then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he said.

“On May 11, 1998, the nation conducted its nuclear tests. Our scientists demonstrated India’s capabilities and potential to the entire world,” Modi pointed out.

The tests “sent shockwaves across the globe” and triggered angry reactions from several countries, he said.

“Who is India to conduct nuclear tests? The world reacted with anger,” Modi said, referring to the international response following the Pokhran tests.

He said global powers then tried to isolate India through sanctions and economic pressure after the tests.

“Global powers mobilised to suppress India. Various sanctions were imposed, and every passage to avert a potential economic crisis was blocked,” the PM said.

Many countries would have succumbed under such circumstances, but India stood firm, he highlighted.

“Anyone else would have faltered. When the world’s major powers launch such a massive offensive, it becomes difficult to find a path ahead. But, we are built differently,” Modi asserted. India went ahead with two more nuclear tests on May 13, 1998, despite mounting pressure from the international community, he noted.

“On May 11, our scientists had completed their task. However, on May 13, two more nuclear tests were conducted. This demonstrated to the world just how unwavering the political will of India truly is,” Modi said.

He praised the then Vajpayee-led government for refusing to bow to global pressure.

“At that time, India faced immense pressure from the entire world. Yet, under the leadership of Atal ji, the BJP government demonstrated that for us, the nation comes first. No power on earth can make India bow down or succumb to pressure,” he said. Somnath reminds us that no nation can remain strong unless it is connected to its roots, the PM said. On the occasion, Modi also released a special stamp on the completion of 75 years of the inauguration of the restored Somnath temple, located in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district. “Invaders attempted to erase the splendour of the Somnath temple; this temple was demolished time and again, yet it kept being rebuilt,” he said.

Some “forces” in the country continued to prioritise appeasement politics over national self-respect, Modi alleged, adding that a similar mindset was witnessed during the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

He said politics had often been played over issues linked to national pride and identity, citing the reconstruction of the Somnath temple after Independence.

“There are countless examples across the world where foreign invaders destroyed sites linked to a nation’s identity. Whenever people got an opportunity, they restored their heritage and upheld their dignity,” said the PM in his address. “Yet, in our country, politics was played even over issues linked to national self-respect, and the Somnath temple stands as a prime example,” he added.

Modi said Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and India’s first President Dr Rajendra Prasad made immense efforts to rebuild the temple, but faced opposition from then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

The “forces” promoting appeasement politics were still active in the country, he said. “We witnessed this same phenomenon during the construction of the Ram temple and the manner in which it was opposed. We must remain vigilant against such a mindset and leave this kind of parochial politics behind us,” Modi said.

“We must move forward by embracing both development and heritage in tandem. The neglect of our cultural centres has, in fact, served as an impediment to our progress,” he noted.

In India, heritage and modernity are inseparable; both go hand in hand, PM Modi added.

Earlier, PM Modi performed ‘Maha Pooja’ and other rituals at the Somnath temple as part of the Somnath Amrut Mahotsav.

Before the event, he also held a roadshow along the nearly 1.5-km route from the helipad to Veer Hamirji Circle near the temple.

A large number of people lined up to greet him. They waved flags and raised slogans as his convoy passed through the area.

Artists from different parts of the country, including West Bengal, performed traditional dances at designated spots along the route.

Vadodara, May 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reiterated his call for reduced fuel consumption, greater use of public transport and electric vehicles by citizens, and urged people to defer gold purchases amid the West Asia crisis which has caused large-scale disruptions.

Addressing a gathering in Vadodara after inaugurating the Sardar Dham Hostel built by the Patidar community, Modi appealed to people to opt for work from home, a pandemic-era practice, wherever possible and reduce foreign travel.

“The West Asia crisis is one of the worst in the decade; just as we overcame the COVID-19 pandemic, we will come out of this also,” the Prime Minister asserted.

Modi noted citizens had always fulfilled their responsibilities whenever the country faced war or any other major crisis.

“Whenever India faced war or any other major crisis, citizens fulfilled their responsibilities upon the government’s appeal; we need to do the same today,” the PM told the gathering.

The prime minister stressed the need for reduced imports — India heavily relies on West Asia for crude oil and LPG — and avoid unnecessary expenditure involving foreign currency.

“We must make every effort to reduce the use of imported products and avoid personal activities that involve spending foreign currency,” Modi maintained.

Calling for fuel conservation measures, he urged people to reduce fuel consumption and shift to public transport or electric vehicles.

He appealed to citizens to defer gold buying in view of the prevailing global situation as a significant amount of foreign exchange goes into importing the precious metal.

Modi had spoken about these austerity measures for the first time in the backdrop of the West Asia crisis while speaking at an event in Telangana on Sunday and reiterated them in Gujarat a day later.

New Delhi, May 11: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) denounced the operationalisation of Labour Codes by the Union Government, through the notification of Central Rules for the same, on May 8, 2026.

A statement issued by the party said though the BJP-led Union Government had wished to operationalise the Labour Codes from April 1, 2026 itself, it deceptively waited till the Assembly elections in four States and a Union Territory were over to notify the rules. Within just four days after the announcement of results, they have now operationalised the Labour Codes. This exposes the deceptive modus operandi of the BJP-led Union Government. 

It said the BJP-led governments in the states are eager to implement the Labour Codes and have prepared the state draft rules. It is only the outgoing CPI(M) led LDF government in Kerala which had denounced the implementation of Labour Codes, held a National Labour Conclave and constituted an expert committee under the chairmanship of retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice V. Gopala Gowda, to recommend alternative measures. The LDF government had received the report and agreed to adopt the recommendations. Due to the Model Code of Conduct, it could not implement the recommendations.

It also said the expert committee has recommended the state governments to bring in amendments to protect the interests of workers. It had opined that the State Legislatures are empowered to bring in state amendments as the labour issues are enumerated as Nos. 22, 23 & 24 in the Concurrent List of the Constitution.

The CPI(M) urged the state governments to exercise their legislative powers under the Constitution of India, bring in amendments to the Labour Codes, and protect the interests of the workers instead of operationalising them as per the Central Rules that have been notified.

New Delhi, May 11: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the 5th meeting of the Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) on West Asia crisis at Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Delhi on Monday. The meeting took stock of the latest developments in the conflict, and discussed ways to bolster India’s readiness to ensure its minimum effect on the people.

Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers Jagat Prakash Nadda; Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri; Minister of Railways, Information and Broadcasting, Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw; Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju; Minister of Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal; and Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh attended the meeting.

The IGoM was informed that the country is secure, and there is no shortage of any petroleum product, even as most other nations have taken emergency measures to dramatically reduce domestic consumption. India has 60 days of crude oil, 60 days of Natural Gas and 45 days of LPG rolling stock. The foreign exchange reserves stand at a comfortable $703 billion. India is the world’s third largest oil refiner and fourth largest exporter of petroleum products, exporting to over 150 countries and is meeting domestic demand in full. But there is a huge cost being borne by the nation as international crude prices are continuing at very high levels. Fuel conservation can ease this burden. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to the people for collective participation to help the country deal with global economic disruptions, supply chain challenges and rising prices caused by international conflicts has, thus, emphasised prudence in usage of petroleum products and reducing wasteful consumption, so that the fiscal burden on the nation is reduced in the present and into the future.

India is among the few countries where petroleum prices have held steady through this period of global volatility even after more than 70 days since the conflict started. In many nations, prices have increased by 30 to 70 per cent. However, India’s oil marketing companies have absorbed losses of close to Rs 1,000 crore a day, with under-recoveries running to nearly Rs 2 lakh crore in Q1 ’26 so that the burden of global astronomical prices is not passed to the Indian citizens. There is no reason for anxiety, and no reason for any citizens to rush to retail outlets.

The Ministers were informed that there is a surplus amount of essential commodities for the people and the present conservation is intended towards long-run capacity building if the crisis prolongs. The supply management has been good, and the people need not panic or resort to over purchase of fuel & other products.

Defence Minister directed the officials to take concrete steps to implement the Prime Minister’s appeal at the ground level. The Prime Minister, on May 11, 2026, exhorted the people to reduce petrol and diesel consumption by using metros & public transport, opting to car pooling; help conserve foreign exchange reserves by refraining from unnecessary foreign travel, choosing domestic tourism & celebrations within India, and avoiding non-essential gold purchases for a year. He had urged the farmers to reduce chemical fertiliser usage by 50 per cent, move towards natural farming practices, help protect soil health & reduce import dependence, and encourage wider adoption of solar-powered irrigation pumps instead of diesel pumps in agriculture. “Ministries and States must identify, in a coordinated manner, measures to institutionalise fuel efficiency, public awareness, and responsible consumption behavior,” said Rajnath Singh.

In a post on X after the meeting, Rajnath Singh commended the work being done by the Government towards ensuring supplies of all essential commodities. He urged the people to remain calm and avoid any kind of panic as all concrete steps are being taken to prevent shortages or disruptions in supply chains.

Singh emphasised that the primary focus for India during the current phase is to ensure that energy flows remain uninterrupted, economic stability is maintained, and maritime trade routes remain secure. He directed all stakeholders to remain vigilant to deal with every situation.

Defence Minister underlined the urgent need for India to accelerate the process of transforming its energy mix, rapidly expanding renewable-based alternative energy sources, identifying more reliable & diversified energy supplies, and increasing investment in energy efficiency technologies. He called for re-evaluation of strategic reserve requirements to tackle issues arising out of supply chain disruptions, with future energy security in mind.

He asserted that the West Asia situation should not be viewed merely as a stand-alone event as any form of international crisis directly or indirectly affects all nations in today’s interconnected global environment. He stressed the need to focus on strategic crisis anticipation, early warning assessment, scenario planning, and timely whole-of-government preparedness.

The IGoM was informed about the recent policy measures undertaken specifically to support industry, including MSMEs. To provide liquidity support to the industry, including MSMEs, the Union Cabinet on May 05, 2026 approved the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme 5.0 with a total additional credit flow target of Rs 2,55,000 crore with the objective of providing credit guarantee coverage of 100% for MSMEs and 90% for non-MSMEs, as well as the airline sector.

Moreover, taking cognizance of the Industry demand for advisory related to ‘force-majeure-like’ risks in public procurement contracts the Ministry of Finance has also enabled force majeure-related relief measures including a circular by Department of Expenditure clarifying that the ongoing crisis should be treated as war for consideration of Force Majeure whereby the performance deadlines can be extended by 2-4 months from February 28, 2026.

The IGoM was informed that fertiliser availability remains robust, with supplies continuing to exceed requirements.