Austerity measures are not new to India, often introduced during economic crises. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent appeals for austerity, including reduced fossil fuel consumption and limited foreign travel, echo past responses but lack immediate enforcement. Historical examples, such as Lal Bahadur Shastri's food rationing during the 1965 crisis and Vishwanath Pratap Singh's restrictions during the Gulf War, highlight the importance of swift implementation. Modi's government has yet to enforce specific measures, raising concerns about the effectiveness of merely exhorting the public. Although the government increased import duties on gold to conserve foreign exchange, this could lead to smuggling issues. Experts stress that for austerity measures to have a significant impact, they must be coupled with necessary policy adjustments, such as raising retail prices of petrol and diesel to reflect global price increases. Without concrete actions, the symbolic value of austerity announcements diminishes.