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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday made an extraordinary appeal to Indian citizens, suggesting that Covid-era efficiency practices like working from home and virtual conferences should be resumed “in the national interest” in the wake of the economic fallout of the US-Iran war.
Addressing a public meeting in Hyderabad, PM Modi urged people to use petrol and diesel with restraint as the ongoing war rocked the global economy, resulting in a surge of energy prices in several countries. He emphasised greater use of public transport such as metros, buses and trains, while also encouraging carpooling for private travel.
“During the Corona period, we adopted work from home, online meetings, video conferences, and developed many such systems. We had
also become accustomed to them,” he said.
“Today, the demands of the times are such that if we restart these systems, it will be in the national interest. We must prioritise work from home, online conferences, and virtual meetings again. We must also place a strong emphasis on saving foreign exchange, as petrol and diesel have become so expensive globally,” he added.
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Work From Home In India
The work-from-home culture had existed in sectors like IT and consulting, but it became a norm during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 after the government restricted outdoor travel and encouraged social distancing in the wake of rising coronavirus cases.
During his address in March 2020, PM Modi strongly pushed the idea of working from home. “Try to do your work, whether related to business or job, from home as much as possible. While it is essential that those who are in government services, healthcare services, people’s representatives and media personnel remain active, everybody else must isolate themselves from the rest of the society,” he said.
After the pandemic, the work-from-home culture evolved into hybrid work in many Indian companies. Even after lockdowns ended, several firms retained flexible working models because employees and employers had adapted to remote operations during the peak years of the pandemic.
Will Work From Home Return After PM’s Appeal?
In 2022, PM Modi said flexible workplaces, a work-from-home ecosystem and flexible work hours are the need of the future. However, most companies had already started calling employees back to work, citing productivity and team-building issues.
A possible return to the work-from-home culture would depend on the future of the US-Iran conflict, particularly its impact on oil markets. Both warring sides have remained at an impasse, with Tehran blocking the crucial Strait of Hormuz and the US enforcing a naval blockade around Iranian ports.
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Brent prices are hovering around $100 per barrel as uncertainty looms over a peace agreement, while shipping has remained at a virtual halt through the crucial waterway. India, the world’s third-largest importer, has been particularly impacted by the crisis at the Strait of Hormuz, making everything expensive in the country.
The impact is being felt the most in the kitchens, with India being one of the highest LNG importers. The prices of commercial cylinders have already jumped byy over Rs 1,000. Cooking oil has also become more expensive. International travel has already become costlier, and the prices of everyday things like electronics, clothes, soap, shampoos, toothpaste and packaged food are expected to rise if conflict resumes.
PM Modi’s appeal for work from home, reduced fuel use and avoiding unnecessary foreign travel could be taken as a sign that the government is bracing for a prolonged conflict, which could have deep ramifications on the Indian economy. This could force companies to turn to remote work to save fuel consumption.
Countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Philippines have already announced work-from-home or reduced office attendance policies to manage fuel demand.
