Cyberspace was abuzz with memories of “lockdown” on Tuesday as people searched for terms like “India lockdown again” and “lockdown news” amid an escalating conflict in West Asia that has disrupted key sea routes and energy supplies to countries including India.
The announcement of an all-party meeting by the Narendra Modi-led government scheduled for Wednesday further fueled speculation as people searched online for questions like “Will lockdown return in India?” and “What is Energy Locking?”
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Outside Apeejay School in South Delhi’s Saket, parents waiting for their nursery children were curious about the impending lockdown. In cities like Hyderabad, people were seen queuing up to refuel their vehicles. All this in the middle of tThe conflict in West Asia is entering its fourth week, disrupting trade routes across it Strait of Hormuz.
Where did the speculation come from?
But what sparked the speculation? Essentially, in his Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha speeches on Monday and Tuesday on the conflict in West Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled how India faced the COVID-19 pandemic and related disruptions to the global supply chain.
“In the past too, our government has not allowed the burden of global crises to fall on farmers,” Modi said in his Lok Sabha speech on the crisis in West Asia on Monday.
on Tuesday speaking in the Rajya SabhaPM Modi almost repeated what he said the day before in the Lok Sabha. Modi urged the nation to “remain prepared and united, just as it stood together during the COVID-19 pandemic”.
However, nowhere in his speeches did Prime Minister Modi use the lockdown for both days, though he mentioned about COVID-19. This is precisely why he said: “We must remain prepared and united.
“During the COVID crisis, we faced similar challenges with unity,” PM Modi said.
Memories of limitations
People seem to be speculating amid reports of LPG supply cuts due to the ongoing war in the Middle East affecting India and elsewhere. The conflict has also had an immediate impact on aviation, with several airports – particularly in the Persian Gulf – witnessing airline operations being disrupted.
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Amid the global oil crisis, Sri Lanka recently announced a four-day work week and imposed a work-from-home mandate to preserve its dwindling fuel and gas reserves amid major supply disruptions caused by the US-Israeli war with Iran. Some restaurants in India have reduced their menus due to the LPG crisis.
All of these events evoked memories of the online restrictions of the COVID-19 era, even though the situation on the ground was nowhere near that level.
Recall that India, like many other countries, imposed a lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a global health emergency, officially ending in May 2023.
Did PM Modi mention the lockdown?
In his parliamentary speeches, Prime Minister Modi referred to the serious conditions that have emerged worldwide as a result of this war and the fear of the lasting impact. He said this at the end of his speech in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
“The difficult global conditions caused by this war are likely to persist for a long time and have challenged the nation to remain prepared and united, just as it has stood together during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
The conflict in West Asia entered its fourth week, disrupting trade routes through the Strait of Hormuz. Tensions escalated after the killing of Iran’s 86-year-old supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameneiin joint US-Israeli military strikes on February 28.
In retaliation, Iran targeted Israeli and US assets in several Gulf countries, causing further disruption to the waterway and affecting international energy markets as well as global economic stability.
PM Modi talks to Donald Trump
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that he had received a call from President Trump and had a useful exchange of views on the situation in West Asia.
“India supports de-escalation and restoration of peace as soon as possible. Ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, secure and accessible is critical to the entire world. We have agreed to stay in touch on peace and stability efforts,” Modi said.
