Modi orders 50% cut in convoy size, pushes EV use amid energy crisis

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ordered a 50 per cent reduction in the size of his official convoy and called for increased use of electric vehicles as part of a broader austerity and fuel-saving campaign launched in response to economic pressures linked to the Iran war, sources told India Today TV on May 13.

According to the sources, India’s Special Protection Group (SPG), the elite force responsible for the Prime Minister’s security, has been instructed to cut the number of vehicles used in Modi’s convoy while fully maintaining mandatory security protocols. The SPG has already begun implementing the directive.

Sources said Modi also instructed officials to expand the use of electric vehicles in the convoy fleet, while stressing that no new vehicles should be purchased for the transition.

The measures come days after Modi urged Indians to adopt austerity practices amid concerns over the economic impact of rising global oil prices. In a recent public address, he appealed to citizens to avoid buying gold for a year, postpone non-essential foreign travel and reduce fuel consumption.

Modi has already begun implementing the changes during recent visits to the states of Gujarat and Assam, where visibly smaller convoys were seen in the cities of Vadodara and Guwahati following his appeal at a rally in Hyderabad.

Sources said the convoy reductions were carried out without compromising SPG security requirements.

The austerity initiative is also reportedly being adopted across various levels of government. Several federal ministries are exploring fuel-saving measures, while chief ministers in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled states, including Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, have reportedly directed cuts to their own official convoys.

Union Minister C. R. Patil has also decided to stop using an escort vehicle as part of the campaign, according to sources.

By Sabina Mammadli