The Centre has clarified that there is currently no proposal to make work-from-home mandatory or impose restrictions on electronics imports after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to revive certain Covid-era practices to help conserve fuel and reduce pressure on foreign exchange reserves.
The clarification came after the Prime Minister’s recent remarks triggered widespread discussion in corporate and business circles over whether India could see a return to large-scale remote working arrangements similar to those adopted during the pandemic.
According to government sources quoted by CNBC-TV18, no advisory or directive related to mandatory work-from-home arrangements for the IT sector is under consideration at present.
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Officials said the Prime Minister’s remarks were intended as an appeal rather than a policy directive.
Centre says hybrid work already common across sectors
Sources told CNBC-TV18 that several industries, particularly the IT and consulting sectors, already operate through hybrid and remote working models depending on business needs. Because of this existing flexibility, officials reportedly believe there is no immediate requirement for government intervention.
The government also clarified that there are no plans to curb electronics imports despite broader calls for economic discipline and reduced non-essential expenditure.
Officials said electronics imports remain closely tied to manufacturing growth, exports and India’s expanding digital infrastructure ecosystem. According to official figures cited by sources, India’s electronics imports stood at $116.17 billion in FY26.
Government officials also pointed to rising global memory chip prices and increasing demand for AI servers as major factors influencing the import bill. They added that AI-related infrastructure continues to remain important for India’s growing data centre sector.
PM Modi had urged revival of Covid-era efficiency measures
During a public address earlier this week, PM Modi called on citizens and institutions to adopt certain efficiency measures that became common during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“During the Corona period, we adopted work from home, online meetings, video conferences, and developed many such systems,” the Prime Minister said.
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“Today, the demands of the times are such that if we restart these systems, it will be in the national interest,” he added. The Prime Minister also suggested that schools temporarily consider online classes and urged people to focus on saving fuel and foreign exchange amid global economic uncertainty linked to the ongoing US-Iran conflict and rising crude oil prices.
The remarks had fuelled speculation online about the possible return of large-scale work-from-home policies and austerity measures, especially across urban corporate sectors.
However, the Centre’s clarification now indicates that no formal restrictions or mandatory remote work plans are being prepared at this stage.
