Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (March 29, 2026) noted that the situation in West Asia has created “challenging times” and called for those “politicising” the issue to refrain from doing so. He also urged Indians to be careful about believing rumours related to the crisis.
Speaking during his monthly Mann Ki Baat address, the Prime Minister said that, following the COVID-19 pandemic, it was expected that the world would move forward on a path of renewed progress.
“However, situations of war and conflict have continuously kept arising in different parts of the world,” he said. “Presently, a fierce war has been going on in our neighbourhood for a month. Millions of our family members, near and dear ones, live in these countries, especially working in the Gulf countries.”
“I am deeply grateful to the Gulf countries, who are providing all kinds of assistance to more than 1 crore such Indians there,” he added.
‘Don’t believe rumours’
Mr. Modi further noted that the West Asian region is a major centre of our energy needs, on account of which a “crisis” is emerging around the world regarding petrol and diesel.
“These certainly are challenging times,” he said. “I would once again urge all my countrymen that we must unitedly overcome this challenge. Those who are politicising even this issue should refrain from doing so. This is a matter concerning the interests of 140 crore countrymen; there is no place for self-serving politics.”
“Therefore, those who are spreading rumours are causing a major harm to the country,” Mr. Modi added. “I would also appeal to all citizens to remain vigilant and not be misled by rumours. Trust only the continuous information provided by the government and take action based only on that.”
Initiatives towards nation-building
During his address, the Prime Minister also took note of various initiatives around the country that are aimed at nation-building in different forms. One such initiative was the Gyan Bharatam Survey, which is aimed at collecting information about manuscripts across the country.
“If you have a manuscript or information about it, do share its image on the Gyan Bharatam App,” Mr. Modi urged. “Information related to each entry is being verified before it is recorded. I am glad that thousands of manuscripts have been shared so far.”
Another initiative he highlighted was MY Bharat’s budget quest.
“Its aim was to connect the youth across the country with the budget process and policymaking,” Mr. Modi explained. “Nearly 12 lakh youth from across the country participated in the quiz. After the quiz, approximately 160,000 participants were selected for the essay competition. I had the opportunity as well to read some of these essays. They demonstrate the eagerness of my young friends to contribute to the country’s development.”
India’s sports achievements
The Prime Minister also devoted a section of his address to India’s sporting achievements in the recent past.
“When India achieved a historic victory in the T20 World Cup, a wave of joy swept across the country,” he said. “We are all very proud of our team’s thumping success. Late last month, a thrilling match was witnessed in Hubli, Karnataka. By winning this match, the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team secured for themselves the Ranji Trophy. It is most heartening to note that after a long wait of nearly seven decades, the team achieved its first Ranji Trophy title.”
He remarked that this success for Jammu and Kashmir will encourage many young people to take up sports, adding that the people of J&K have a “tremendous passion” for sports.
“I am glad that it is now becoming a hub for major sporting events,” Mr. Modi said. “Gulmarg has already established itself as the host of the Khelo India Winter Games. Sports like football are also very popular among the youth there. I hope this winning streak of Jammu and Kashmir sports persons continues in the future.”
