Twelve years after Narendra Modi first took oath as Prime Minister, those who have watched him up close describe a leader driven by a singular obsession: securing India’s rise and reshaping its place in the world.
Prime Minister Modi’s structured foreign policy knows no bounds, with a tightly knit but formidable inner team that includes Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Modi is described as “committed to India, passionate about India, passionate about Indians,” someone who genuinely believes in the idea of “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat” and places particular emphasis on women’s empowerment as a political and social priority.
Those who work with him, suggest, encounter a man who works “24x7”, hears people out with considerable patience, rarely reacts in haste - but once he takes a decision, stands by it firmly.
Modi has fundamentally reshaped India’s posture on counter-terrorism, with a “clear-cut policy”: if terrorism is carried out against India, there will be a punishing response, and nothing will pass without consequences.
He has also raised illegal immigration as a national security issue, framing it not just as a political or social problem, but as a strategic challenge that could alter India’s demographic balance.
Modi’s strength is timing - both political and policy timing, with a knack for seizing issues, turning opposition attacks into opportunities, and using contentious debates to consolidate his agenda.
