Amid growing concerns over the impact of the ongoing West Asia conflict on India’s economy and energy security, actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan on Friday (May 22) called for national unity, energy conservation and coordinated action between the Centre and states to tackle the emerging crisis.

In a post on X, the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief said India has previously overcome wars, shortages and global crises through “unity and shared sacrifice” and urged citizens to display the same spirit again.

“India has overcome wars, shortages, and global crises before – through unity and shared sacrifice. This moment calls for the same national spirit again,” Kamal Haasan wrote on X along with a video.

Kamal Haasan backs PM Modi’s energy-saving appeal

In the video, the MNM chief said the Iran war and the resulting global energy crisis could have a major impact on India and stressed that national responsibility should rise above political divisions.

“My dear fellow countrymen, today I speak to you as an Indian deeply concerned by the impact of the Iran War,” he said.

Referring to measures taken globally, Haasan noted that several countries had already introduced energy-saving rules, while Singapore’s Prime Minister had publicly warned citizens to prepare for difficult times ahead.

“We are a much larger country, and our Prime Minister has asked us to save energy over the next year. In moments like this, national responsibility must rise above party politics,” he said.

The actor-politician also invoked former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, quoting his famous line that “governments will come and go, but the nation shall remain.”

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Praises renewable energy push under the Narendra Modi government

While positioning himself as a centrist, Haasan said good governance and national interest should be acknowledged irrespective of political alliances.

He praised the central government’s push toward renewable energy and efforts to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels.

“Under the PM’s leadership, India’s solar and wind energy capacity has increased over the last decade. I’m encouraged by recent investments in coal gasification, renewable and nuclear energy. These are important steps to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and gas,” he said.

Calls for national summit of Chief Ministers

At the same time, Haasan argued that the burden of the crisis should not fall solely on citizens and called for coordinated government intervention. He urged PM Modi to convene a national summit of all Chief Ministers to collectively address the situation.

‘Governments, too, must share the burden,’ says Kamal Haasan.

He proposed two immediate measures: Reduction in state taxes such as VAT on petrol and diesel and lower fares for trains, metros and buses to encourage people to shift away from private vehicles.

“Geopolitics will affect pedestrians on the street as much as the high-flying rich. But if we face this crisis together, India will and can emerge stronger,” he added.

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PM Modi earlier urged fuel conservation

Earlier this month, PM Modi had appealed to citizens to adopt fuel-saving measures amid rising global energy prices and disruptions caused by the West Asia conflict.

Speaking on May 10, PM Modi urged people to reduce unnecessary travel, adopt work-from-home practices where possible and help cut down on imports to reduce pressure on India’s foreign exchange reserves.

The Prime Minister said India spends lakhs of crores annually on imports and warned that the ongoing geopolitical crisis had sharply increased the cost of imported goods while disrupting global supply chains. He also assured citizens that the government was working to minimise the crisis’s impact on ordinary Indians.

How much can India save if you go by PM Modi’s advice?

According to experts, India could potentially save more than $45 billion a year in foreign exchange if households and businesses follow PM Modi’s call to moderate consumption of imported commodities and stop international spending.

The estimate is based on relatively modest behavioural changes: a 10% reduction in crude oil, gold and edible oil consumption, a 50% cut in fertiliser imports, and a complete stop in discretionary spending on foreign travel.

“But today, the need of the hour is also to use petrol, gas, diesel and such things with great restraint. We have to use imported petrol products only as needed. This will not only save foreign exchange but reduce the adverse impact of war,” PM Modi had said.