“Some commentators pronounced it “Peak Modi”. Would-be successors began to plot. Today things look rather different. Mr Modi’s coalition has won a string of state elections and the opposition is in disarray. His government has rediscovered its zeal.” 1/9
“it announced a much-needed simplification of India’s goods-and-services taxes and overhauled its Byzantine labour laws. It is deregulating the nuclear industry, promoting a booming electronics sector and striking trade deals. India’s economy is outperforming expectations.” 2/9
“Mr Modi, who at 75 has already been in the highest office for almost 12 years, is now expected to run again in 2029. The prime minister has his eye on Jawaharlal Nehru’s record time in office, which he would surpass in 2031. And he is thinking about his legacy.” 3/9
“has focused his movement on the idea of making India strong. He has been helped by a tough external environment. In May, following a.. terrorist attack.. India fought a 4-day air-&-missile conflict with Pakistan. That allowed the prime minister to play the patriotic strongman.”
“You might think Mr Modi would be blamed for mishandling India’s biggest trading partner. Yet most Indians approve of the way he has stood up to Mr Trump. And he has used pressure from abroad as a pretext for reform.” 5/9
“In all this, Mr Modi’s coalition has proved surprisingly stable. As small regional parties, his partners have largely been happy to offer loyalty in exchange for patronage. They may have curbed the bjp’s instincts in some areas, such as on the uniform civil code.” 6/9
“Rahul Gandhi, leader of the Congress party, offers a different explanation. He alleges that the government has committed “vote chori”, or voter fraud… Yet Mr Gandhi has not presented evidence of widespread fraud, nor have analysts found a smoking gun.” 7/9
“The accusation risks becoming a crutch for Congress. By any standard Mr Modi remains a genuinely popular leader, approved of by some 70% of Indians. Mr Gandhi has failed to build on the result in 2024 by developing either a compelling critique or.. platform of his own.” 8/9
“for now Mr Modi is ascendant. The hope must be that the prime minister sees boosting the economy as the best way to secure his legacy. If he does, his third term could do much to improve the lives of Indians by setting the country on a still faster road to growth.” 9/9