'Polarisation' Under Modi Rule To India's Rise As Counter To China: How Global Media Is Reporting Indian Elections

From India's crucial strategic position on the geopolitical landscape to PM Modi's policies and strategy to win — here's looking at the Lok Sabha elections through the eyes of the global media.

The seven-phase Lok Sabha Elections 2024 started on Friday, April 19.

Source : PTI (modified)

Elections 2024 Phase I: As India embarked on the mammoth journey to conduct the largest democratic exercise ever — the Lok Sabha Election Phase-1 — in a year marked by global turbulence, the world had its eyes fixed on the nation led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While the Bharatiya Janata Party is eyeing a massive mandate that would give it a third term, world leaders would be looking at India in terms of the balance in global geopolitics.

A major part of India's geopolitical position has been the image that the nation has developed over the past few years, with its Chandrayaan-3 Moon Mission, hosting of the G20 summit, strengthening of bilateral ties, and its actions in global bodies, including the United Nations. What has perhaps been the highlight of India's foreign policy is its refusal to bow to Western pressure to pick sides during the Russia-Ukraine War and serve only the interests of its own citizens. This year, as the nation goes to polls, global media organisations will be closely tracking the 44-day election over seven phases — the second-longest election in the history of the country, with PM Modi seeking a third term in office.

Here's how the global media covered India's general elections 2024 in the run-up to the first phase:

Modi — More Autocratic, Paid Little Price: NYT 

The New York Times in an article called PM Narendra Modi a heavy favourite, and said the BJP's grip over India’s more populous northern and central parts is "firmer than ever". The article described the opposition in the "same decisive geography even more diminished". In a critical tone of PM Modi, the NYT article read: "Mr. Modi has remained deeply popular even as he has become more autocratic. He has "paid little price" — and even found support — for his effort to remake India into what analysts have called an illiberal democracy." Speaking about the Ayodhya Ram Mandir inauguration on January 22, the article says it is "a huge temple dedicated to Ram, on the disputed site of a mosque razed three decades ago by a Hindu mob that has been a major election-year offering to his Hindu base".

India Is Counter To China, But Modi Is Insecure: The Guardian

The Guardian on Friday published an explainer on why these elections are important at a time when India is among the fastest-growing economies. The article said that the outcome of the polls would be important as the UK, France, and the US were looking at India as a counter to China's growing influence in Asia.

In an editorial published earlier this week, the British media organisation criticised PM Narendra Modi, saying: "Hindu nationalists – such as Mr Modi – seek primacy for fellow adherents. That is why vigilante groups associated with the ruling party violently police society at the grassroots level with impunity. If Mr Modi were to lose power, these organisations would make any return to the status quo ante very difficult." The article said that there was a lack of progress in the BJP's northern strongholds, and to hide this, "Mr Modi’s party militantly asserts Hinduism".

Calling PM Modi "insecure", The Guardian editorial also mentioned the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. "One of its [BJP's] opponents in north India, Arvind Kejriwal, attempted to emulate the southern model in the nation’s capital, Delhi. He was arrested last month. Indian voters might see that as a sign of Mr Modi’s insecurity rather than his confidence. He has much to be insecure about."

Kejriwal To Press Freedom — BBC Decodes Indian Elections

The BBC published an article detailing the sheer scale of the "mammoth" Lok Sabha elections. It compared the number of eligible voters in India this year with populations of nations across the world. "Some 969 million citizens are eligible to cast their ballot. To give you an idea, if you add together the populations of the US, Russia, Japan, Britain, Brazil and France — that comes close to how many Indians are on the electoral rolls. Since we are still a bit short, let's also throw in Belgium," the BBC article read. It also mentioned Arvind Kejriwal's arrest and Ram Mandir. On the electoral bonds case, the article said the BJP being the biggest beneficiary of the now-banned scheme is not good for Modi's report card. Finally, the article highlighted the fall in India's rank on the Press Freedom Index — from 140 in 2013 to 161 in 2023 — during PM Modi's tenure.

Modi Sure To Win Against Fractious Opposition: France 24

In a report, state-owned French media website France 24 said "Hindu nationalist Modi is the favourite" to win the Lok Sabha elections. "This year, he presided over the inauguration of a grand temple to the deity Ram, built on the grounds of a centuries-old mosque razed by Hindu zealots... Construction of the temple fulfilled a long-standing demand of Hindu activists and was widely celebrated across India with back-to-back television coverage and street parties," the report read. The website quoted analysts who expect a Modi win "against a fractious alliance of more than two dozen parties that have yet to name a candidate for prime minister".

Transformation And Polarisation: How CNN Describes Modi Rule As PM Eyes 3rd Term 

US media website CNN described India's Lok Sabha elections as the "most consequential in decades". While saying that the BJP's "Hindu-nationalist policies have transformed India economically and culturally", the CNN report mentioned that the "BJP' rule has been defined by a pull away from India’s secular foundation, toward Hindu majoritarianism". The report also slams the current dispensation over "soaring youth unemployment and inequality, particularly in rural areas". The article cited critics who slammed PM Modi's "religious polarisation, which has included rising Islamophobia and persecution of the country’s 230 million Muslims".

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