Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday made a heartfelt appeal to Indian citizens, urging them to collectively adopt a set of meaningful resolutions aimed at reducing the country's energy consumption and curbing dependence on foreign imports. The call to action, he emphasized, is not merely an economic necessity but a profound act of patriotism during a period of mounting global uncertainty. Addressing a Bharatiya Janata Party event in Hyderabad, Modi framed the appeal within the broader context of escalating international challenges, including supply chain disruptions, rising commodity prices, and the far-reaching economic consequences of the ongoing West Asia conflict. The Prime Minister stressed that India must protect its foreign exchange reserves  particularly those spent on importing oil, gas, and fertilisers  and that every citizen has a role to play in achieving this goal. "Patriotism is not only about sacrificing one's life for the nation," Modi said. "It is also about living responsibly and fulfilling one's duties towards the country during difficult times." Among the key measures suggested by the Prime Minister, farmers were urged to reduce their consumption of chemical fertilisers by at least 50 per cent. The skyrocketing prices of fertilisers on global markets, driven largely by the West Asia conflict, have placed a significant strain on India's import bill. Modi called on the agricultural community to shift towards more sustainable and locally available alternatives, framing the move as both economically prudent and environmentally responsible. For the middle class, the Prime Minister outlined a series of lifestyle adjustments. He urged Indian families to reconsider their preference for foreign vacation destinations and instead explore the rich diversity of travel options available within India. He also made the notable appeal that Indians should choose domestic locations for weddings rather than opting for international venues, a trend that has gained popularity among affluent families in recent years. Going further, Modi asked citizens to voluntarily refrain from purchasing gold and gold jewellery for a period of one year. India is one of the world's largest importers of gold, and the foreign exchange spent on gold imports places a significant burden on the country's balance of payments. This singular measure, if widely adopted, could have a meaningful impact on the nation's import expenditure. The Prime Minister also revisited some of the behavioural changes that emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic, suggesting that practices such as working from home and conducting virtual meetings should be revived wherever feasible.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called on Indians to use petroleum products with greater restraint in the face of the ongoing West Asia crisis, warning that unchecked consumption of imported fuels could drain the country's foreign exchange reserves and deepen the economic fallout from the conflict. Addressing a high-profile event in Hyderabad, where he virtually laid the foundation stone and inaugurated a series of development projects worth approximately ₹7,400 crore across Telangana, Modi underscored the urgency of the moment. He stressed that imported petro products  including petrol, diesel, and gas should be consumed only as per genuine need, a disciplined approach that he argued would simultaneously protect India's foreign exchange and blunt the adverse economic consequences of global conflict. "Today, the need of the hour is also to use petrol, gas, diesel and such things with great restraint. We have to use imported petro products only as per need. This will not only save foreign exchange but reduce the adverse impact of war," Modi said during his address. The Prime Minister took the opportunity to highlight the significant strides India has made in building energy self-reliance over the past several years. He noted that India has risen to rank among the world's top nations in solar power generation, a milestone he described as reflecting unprecedented commitment to clean and renewable energy. He also pointed to major achievements in ethanol blending in petrol as part of the country's broader energy transition strategy. Beyond renewables, Modi outlined the government's multi-pronged approach to reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels. He noted that the government had initially focused on achieving 100 per cent LPG coverage across households and has now shifted its attention to the economical supply of piped natural gas at the doorstep of Indian families.

Celcius Logistics has entered into a strategic partnership with Ottobock India, the Indian subsidiary of Germany-based Ottobock, to establish a dedicated prosthetics warehouse and logistics distribution hub in India. As part of this collaboration, Celcius has launched a technology-enabled warehouse facility in Thane, Maharashtra, designed specifically to support the nationwide distribution of prosthetic and assistive devices. The partnership is aimed at strengthening the medical supply chain by cutting down turnaround times and improving patient access to prosthetic devices across the country. Leveraging its extensive distribution network, Celcius Logistics will oversee the movement of prosthetic limbs and related medical equipment to clinics and channel partners spread across multiple regions in India. Spanning 3,000 square feet, the Thane facility has been thoughtfully designed to meet the specific demands of prosthetics logistics. It features ambient storage, 110 slotted angle racks with more than 700 bin locations, and a dedicated 100-square-foot temperature-controlled area for the safe handling of sensitive medical materials. The warehouse infrastructure has been aligned with standard quality and handling protocols to ensure efficient inventory management and faster order fulfilment for healthcare providers and patients alike. The facility is equipped to manage more than 2,000 stock-keeping units (SKUs) and is built to support distribution across 24 Ottobock clinics and over 200 independent partners, which also includes associations with the Government of India. This scale of reach positions the warehouse as a critical node in India's medical device supply chain. According to both companies, the manufacturing and distribution of prosthetic devices require carefully controlled storage conditions in order to preserve product integrity, durability, and long-term performance. The inclusion of a dedicated temperature-controlled zone addresses this need directly, ensuring that sensitive components are handled appropriately and that consistent product quality is maintained for end patients throughout the distribution process. Celcius will manage end-to-end warehouse operations and transportation through its proprietary in-house Warehouse Management System (WMS) and Transport Management System (TMS). These platforms will handle inbound and outbound movement, inventory tracking, and nationwide distribution in a seamless and transparent manner.

New Delhi, May 7, Walmart Inc, the American retail behemoth headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas, has sourced goods worth over USD 40 billion from India, with its President and CEO John Furner describing the country as one of the most dynamic opportunities in global commerce today. Furner, who assumed leadership of the world's largest retailer earlier this year in February, is currently on his first visit to India since taking charge. His visit coincides with the hosting of Walmart's second edition of its Growth Summit in New Delhi, a platform designed to bring together export-ready businesses, MSMEs, digital-first brands, and supply chain partners to identify and act on growth opportunities across both domestic and international markets. "We have already sourced more than USD 40 billion in goods from India and are focused on strengthening entrepreneur and supplier capabilities, raising compliance and quality standards, and helping scale manufacturing so more Indian businesses are ready to export," said Furner in a statement issued by Walmart India. This milestone builds on the company's earlier announcement committing to source goods from India worth up to USD 10 billion per year by 2027, a target that reflects Walmart's long-term confidence in India's manufacturing and export ecosystem. For context, Walmart had disclosed in February 2024 that it had sourced goods worth over USD 30 billion from India over the preceding two decades for its global operations — marking a significant acceleration in sourcing activity in recent months. At the heart of Walmart's India strategy is its Vriddhi initiative, a supplier development program specifically designed to help micro, small, and medium enterprises modernise their operations, expand their capacity, and meet global compliance and quality benchmarks. To date, the program has supported the growth of over 1.15 lakh, or 115,000, entrepreneurs across India.