Why is ‘India lockdown’ trending? COVID anniversary, war jitters, energy concerns double down on speculation
As per Google Trends data, the search interest for the phrase ‘India lockdown’ increased suddenly overnight on the sixth anniversary of the national lockdown.
- Mar 25, 2026,
- Updated Mar 25, 2026 12:38 PM IST
On Tuesday, searches for the phrase ‘lockdown in India’ spiked on Google. On the face of it, it might appear innocuous, but a careful examination would expose the underlying concerns – a mix of war and energy crisis concerns, compounded by the memories of the COVID-19 lockdown.
As per Google Trends data, the search interest for the term increased suddenly overnight on the sixth anniversary of the national lockdown. It must be mentioned that there has been no announcement or indication from the Centre or the states about the possibility of a lockdown or similar restrictions currently amid the war and energy concerns. There has been no indication about WFH measures either, unlike what smaller countries have announced.
WAR JITTERS AND ENERGY CONCERNS
The Iran war, now in its fourth week, has thrown geopolitics into a disarray and exposed the fault lines. Despite US President Donald Trump emphasising that the US has decisively won over Iran in the war, he also said that Washington and Tehran are engaging in negotiations, something that Iran has denied.
But the US and Iran are only two blocks of this conflict that involves Israel and has dragged the Gulf nations into it. One of the biggest fallouts of the war – along with reshaping alignments – is energy constraints. Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a key pathway for energy, leading to a shortage in the supply of oil and gas.
A country like India relies heavily on imports for its energy needs. It sources 50 per cent of its natural gas, 60 per cent of LPG and 88 per cent of crude oil from abroad, most of which passes through Hormuz. While India currently has sufficient crude oil reserves, LPG is a whole other matter. About 85-95 per cent of LPG and 30 per cent of natural gas are transported through this route.
In this backdrop, India’s LPG supply is worrisome. Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing & Oil Refinery), Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, said last week, “The situation is still worrisome when it comes to the supply of LPG.” She said that even though 93 per cent of LPG bookings are now done online, there are long queues outside the distributors.
On Tuesday, meanwhile, a new gas pipeline order stated that PNG was mandatory for notified customers. The Centre notified the Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution (Through Laying, Building, Operation and Expansion of Pipelines and Other Facilities) Order, 2026.
All these factors have triggered speculations about possible work-from-home or stay-at-home scenarios in order to conserve energy.
COVID-19-LIKE CRISIS
March 24 also remained a pertinent date for Indians – it was the day, six years ago, when the national lockdown was announced. Overnight streets went empty, employees moved to work from home, shops, malls and public spaces closed down. Those vivid scenes trigger a heightened search around that date every year.
Separately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said on Monday that India needs to remain prepared and united just like it had during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also addressed concerns related to the impact on fuel, fertilisers, national security and other areas.
He expressed his faith in the collective resolve of the nation. He said when every government and every citizen of this country walk together, "we can challenge every challenge, this is our identity, and this is our strength". PM Modi said that the global conditions caused by this war are likely to persist for a long time.
On Tuesday, searches for the phrase ‘lockdown in India’ spiked on Google. On the face of it, it might appear innocuous, but a careful examination would expose the underlying concerns – a mix of war and energy crisis concerns, compounded by the memories of the COVID-19 lockdown.
As per Google Trends data, the search interest for the term increased suddenly overnight on the sixth anniversary of the national lockdown. It must be mentioned that there has been no announcement or indication from the Centre or the states about the possibility of a lockdown or similar restrictions currently amid the war and energy concerns. There has been no indication about WFH measures either, unlike what smaller countries have announced.
WAR JITTERS AND ENERGY CONCERNS
The Iran war, now in its fourth week, has thrown geopolitics into a disarray and exposed the fault lines. Despite US President Donald Trump emphasising that the US has decisively won over Iran in the war, he also said that Washington and Tehran are engaging in negotiations, something that Iran has denied.
But the US and Iran are only two blocks of this conflict that involves Israel and has dragged the Gulf nations into it. One of the biggest fallouts of the war – along with reshaping alignments – is energy constraints. Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a key pathway for energy, leading to a shortage in the supply of oil and gas.
A country like India relies heavily on imports for its energy needs. It sources 50 per cent of its natural gas, 60 per cent of LPG and 88 per cent of crude oil from abroad, most of which passes through Hormuz. While India currently has sufficient crude oil reserves, LPG is a whole other matter. About 85-95 per cent of LPG and 30 per cent of natural gas are transported through this route.
In this backdrop, India’s LPG supply is worrisome. Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing & Oil Refinery), Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, said last week, “The situation is still worrisome when it comes to the supply of LPG.” She said that even though 93 per cent of LPG bookings are now done online, there are long queues outside the distributors.
On Tuesday, meanwhile, a new gas pipeline order stated that PNG was mandatory for notified customers. The Centre notified the Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution (Through Laying, Building, Operation and Expansion of Pipelines and Other Facilities) Order, 2026.
All these factors have triggered speculations about possible work-from-home or stay-at-home scenarios in order to conserve energy.
COVID-19-LIKE CRISIS
March 24 also remained a pertinent date for Indians – it was the day, six years ago, when the national lockdown was announced. Overnight streets went empty, employees moved to work from home, shops, malls and public spaces closed down. Those vivid scenes trigger a heightened search around that date every year.
Separately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said on Monday that India needs to remain prepared and united just like it had during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also addressed concerns related to the impact on fuel, fertilisers, national security and other areas.
He expressed his faith in the collective resolve of the nation. He said when every government and every citizen of this country walk together, "we can challenge every challenge, this is our identity, and this is our strength". PM Modi said that the global conditions caused by this war are likely to persist for a long time.