India brings back COVID-era work-from-home rules and asks farmers to halve fertilizer use as the Iran war chokes its oil lifeline

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is bringing back COVID-era work-from-home arrangements as the war in Iran cuts off a major oil lifeline. 

In an address earlier this week, the prime minister said Indians should make arrangements to work from home and take more virtual meetings. If citizens must leave home, they should take public transportation, such as the bus or metro, or carpool if a private vehicle is necessary.

The prime minister also asked citizens to limit international travel and pause purchases to keep foreign currency in the country, and asked farmers to halve their fertilizer use, which requires oil to produce. Conserving oil and other resources is a patriotic duty as the war in Iran strains them, Modi said.

“Patriotism is not only about the willingness to sacrifice one’s life on the border. In these times, it is about living responsibly and fulfilling our duties to the nation in our daily lives,” Modi said........

© Fortune