The Prime Minister’s social media presence has surged past the combined follower counts of several global leaders, underlining his unmatched digital reach among political figures worldwide.
File image: Prime Minister Narendra Modi | (DPR PMO/ANI Photo)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday became the first world leader and politician to cross 100 million followers on Instagram, marking a major milestone in global political outreach on social media.
The development comes as the Prime Minister is on a two-day official visit to Israel, where he was conferred the “Speaker of the Knesset Medal”, the highest honour of the Israeli Parliament, for his “exceptional contribution through his personal leadership” in strengthening India-Israel strategic relations.
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PM Modi began using Instagram in 2014. His follower base now stands at more than double that of US President Donald Trump, who has 43.2 million followers. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto follows with 15 million, Brazilian President Lula with 14.4 million, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with 11.6 million, and Argentine President Javier Milei with 6.4 million.
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In the Indian political landscape as well, the gap is substantial. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath holds the second position with around 16.1 million followers, while Rahul Gandhi has approximately 12.6 million.
The Israeli Parliament presented the medal after PM Modi addressed the Knesset. His speech drew a standing ovation and repeated applause from members. Following the address, several MPs interacted with him and took photographs.
In his remarks, the Prime Minister said India holds deep admiration for Israel’s courage, resolve and achievements. “Long before we related to each other as modern States, we were linked by ties that go back more than two thousand years. The Book of Esther refers to India as Hodu. The Talmud records trade with India in ancient times,” he said.
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