Facing a record slide of the rupee to ₹95.17 against the US dollar and Brent crude back above USD 105, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used a public rally in Hyderabad on Sunday to call for “economic patriotism.” He asked Indians to postpone discretionary overseas holidays and weddings, reduce gold purchases and switch to public transport where possible. The appeal comes as India’s foreign-exchange reserves have fallen USD 23 billion in six weeks, largely due to an inflated oil import bill and capital outflows. While the government stopped short of imposing formal currency-control measures, officials hinted that further depreciation could force tighter rules on outward remittances under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS). Corporate travel managers are already bracing for policy changes.
![Modi urges citizens to limit foreign trips and embrace domestic travel to conserve forex]()
For travellers who still need to venture abroad despite a weaker rupee, VisaHQ can simplify at least one piece of the puzzle: visas. Through its India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/), the platform offers up-to-date embassy requirements, quick online applications and courier support—useful services for companies retooling their mobility policies and for individuals trying to keep costs in check under the new climate of “economic patriotism.”
Several IT companies told Global Mobility News that they have frozen non-billable international travel and begun renegotiating client contracts to factor in a weaker rupee. Airlines fear a demand hit for Europe-bound leisure segments just as capacity had normalised to 97 per cent of 2019 levels. The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) welcomed the speech, predicting a “bumper” summer for domestic tourism destinations such as Goa, Jaipur and the Northeast. However, outbound tour operators argue that curbing foreign travel could slow the recovery of India’s international aviation sector, which supports 6.2 million jobs. Mobility professionals should monitor any RBI notifications affecting LRS and advise employees on hedging strategies for foreign per-diem allowances. Companies may also need to update travel-approval workflows if the government introduces fuel-surcharge caps or new guidelines on discretionary travel.
For travellers who still need to venture abroad despite a weaker rupee, VisaHQ can simplify at least one piece of the puzzle: visas. Through its India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/), the platform offers up-to-date embassy requirements, quick online applications and courier support—useful services for companies retooling their mobility policies and for individuals trying to keep costs in check under the new climate of “economic patriotism.”
Several IT companies told Global Mobility News that they have frozen non-billable international travel and begun renegotiating client contracts to factor in a weaker rupee. Airlines fear a demand hit for Europe-bound leisure segments just as capacity had normalised to 97 per cent of 2019 levels. The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) welcomed the speech, predicting a “bumper” summer for domestic tourism destinations such as Goa, Jaipur and the Northeast. However, outbound tour operators argue that curbing foreign travel could slow the recovery of India’s international aviation sector, which supports 6.2 million jobs. Mobility professionals should monitor any RBI notifications affecting LRS and advise employees on hedging strategies for foreign per-diem allowances. Companies may also need to update travel-approval workflows if the government introduces fuel-surcharge caps or new guidelines on discretionary travel.
