‘India’s Foreign Policy Lacked A Spine, PM Modi Instilled It’: Amit Shah On Comparison With Nehru

Amit Shah praised PM Modi's leadership, contrasting it favorably with predecessors like Nehru, citing a strengthened foreign policy and decisive governance.

File Photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah

Source : PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with reshaping India’s foreign policy and strengthening its global standing. Shah drew comparisons between Modi’s tenure and that of his predecessors, including India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.

Speaking to NDTV, Shah asserted that history will judge Modi’s era more favourably when compared to earlier leaders. “When historians would compare the era of Modi with other Prime Ministers, the result will be in PM Modi’s favour,” Shah remarked when asked to compare PM Modi's tenure to Nehru.

Nehru served as Prime Minister for more than 16 years, the longest uninterrupted tenure to date. Modi, now in his third consecutive term, has been in office for over 11 years, making him the second-longest serving Prime Minister in continuous service. Prior to that, he was Gujarat’s Chief Minister from October 2001 to May 2014, the longest-serving in that role as well.

Narendra Modi Gave ‘Backbone’ to Foreign Policy: Shah

Shah strongly argued that Modi brought decisiveness to India’s diplomatic approach. “In the foreign policy of India, after studying it extensively, I have reached a decision that there was a lack of backbone in the foreign policy of India. Narendra Modi has done the work of adding the backbone to the foreign policy of India,” Shah told NDTV.

Having known Modi for over four decades, Shah added, “I have seen him very closely. His biggest quality has been that he can mould himself successfully in every role. He has been successful in carrying out all his responsibilities. This is a great quality.”

Shah Highlights Landmark Decisions in a Decade

Highlighting the government’s performance, Shah listed key reforms under Modi’s leadership. “25 crore people have come out of poverty in a decade… the country’s economy has climbed from 11th to 4th position. Article 370, Ram Mandir, Triple Talaq, clarifying the definition of citizenship of the country, increasing the respect of the Indian passport throughout the country, all this has been done in just a decade,” he said.

He pointed to the revocation of Article 370, the criminalisation of Triple Talaq, and the construction of the Ram Mandir among measures that have defined the government’s first ten years in power.

PM Modi at 75

Prime Minister Modi turned 75 on September 17. To mark the milestone, the BJP launched a ‘Sewa Pakhwada’ campaign that will run till October 2. As part of the initiative, BJP-led governments at the Centre and in the states are organising outreach drives, health camps, cleanliness programmes, intellectual meets, and fairs to promote indigenous products.

Modi was first elected Prime Minister in 2014, secured a second term in 2019, and took oath for a third term in 2024.