THE WORLD LISTENS CAREFULLY WHEN NARENDRA MODI SPEAKS, THAT IS HIS REAL POWER: Dr JAGDEESH CHANDRA

In the latest offering of the JC Show on the G20 Summit, Dr Jagdeesh Chandra said that Narendra Modi’s leadership has gone far beyond conventional political boundaries and has re-shaped both national and global narratives. He stressed that Modi’s diplomatic style, mass connect, and political strategy remain unmatched in contemporary India, making him a central figure in global power shifts and international policymaking. Dr Chandra noted that Modi’s governance model, international outreach, communication approach, and ideological consistency have strengthened his position as one of the most influential leaders of the modern era. He added that PM Modi continues to shape public sentiment, institutional direction, and India’s geopolitical identity, while generating strong reactions, both admiration & criticism, reflecting the scale of his impact. Excerpts... (Part-I)

• The headline of today’s JC Show is “Modi Charms G-20.” What does it really signify?
  Dr Jagdeesh Chandra: There is no doubt that the G-20 was dominated by Narendra Modi. His stature was visible. He was the main centre of attraction. Among the top leadership of the 18 countries present there, every single one of them was eager to meet Narendra Modi. Some wanted to talk to him, some wanted to shake hands with him, and some wanted to embrace him. Overall, some people also wanted to understand how Narendra Modi is so popular in India. What is the formula behind his continuous election victories one after another? How did he manage to perform so well during Covid? How is India now becoming the world’s third-largest economy? And now the historic event of the Ram Temple has also reached international headlines. There was curiosity about the Ram Temple and what is going to happen there. So many foreign diplomats were keen to know what the secret of Narendra Modi’s success is. That is why one newspaper wrote that this was not a G-20 summit. It was a Modi Summit. That’s all.
• During the Johannesburg tour, Narendra Modi received a remarkable welcome from both the African and Indian communities. For India, it became a moment of pride. What would you like to say about it?
  Exactly, you are right. Certainly, it is a matter of pride. As I mentioned, wherever Narendra Modi goes, there is always something unique in the way he is welcomed. This time, when he landed at Johannesburg airport, he witnessed the traditional VIP welcome custom there, where some traditional dancers and women lie on the ground and bow down completely in a full prostration to greet distinguished guests. Narendra Modi saw this, and with humility, he himself bent down and paid respect. He bowed and greeted them. He was very happy, and those people also felt very good about it.
  After that, Narendra Modi met members of the Indian community, and upon meeting them, he said that interacting with the Indian community here has given him a very heartwarming experience. He said that this love he is witnessing, reflects the deep and historic relationship between India and South Africa. These ties are centuries old, and they will continue to grow stronger in the future. Then he gave some autographs to children. Some children narrated Bhagwat Katha and Ganesh stories to him. He met several others, including children who had participated in a “Know India” quiz competition. He met the winners, and he also interacted with some technical professionals. Overall, Narendra Modi himself was overwhelmed, saying that wherever he goes, he feels as if a mini India already exists there.
• Whenever Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Meloni share light-hearted moments or humour on the international stage, those visuals instantly go viral across social media worldwide. The same happened again in Johannesburg. How do you view this chemistry?
  This chemistry is extraordinary. It is superhit. That is why people all across the world feel attracted when they see it. And this also indicates that Narendra Modi is very popular among women and the young crowd. And look at his dress sense, how handsome he looks. Observe the Prime Minister—this has always been the case historically that the world’s beautiful women have been attracted to powerful leadership. Meloni is no exception. It is a good thing.
  People of India and Italy want the relations between the two countries to strengthen further. They want both nations to come closer and sign new agreements in economic and political sectors. So overall, it forms a super hit combination, and the world’s media and social media present this chemistry in a very exciting manner. And there is nothing wrong in it.
  Secondly, she had written a book some time ago called “My Name is Georgia.” Narendra Modi wrote in its foreword that she is an extraordinary administrator, an extraordinary ruler, an extraordinary woman, and that this book contains thoughts directly from her heart and mind. She was very pleased. Then during the Prime Minister’s 75th birthday, she sent wishes and pictures. So it is fine. It is a growing diplomatic friendship and relationship, and it should be welcomed in all corners of the world.
• Whenever Narendra Modi appears on the global stage, lights, cameras, and headlines seem to automatically turn toward him. How do you interpret this phenomenon?
  His personality is such, and then there is some divine force. As I said, there is certainly some ‘power’ he possesses that draws people toward him. And as far as attraction is concerned, we have seen in numerous events abroad that wherever he goes, crowds run toward him.
  Regarding camera lights, you are absolutely right. There is only one other person in the world on whom camera lights fall the way they fall on Narendra Modi, and that is Trump. But Trump is for negative reasons, while Modi is for positive reasons. This is the truth. Even when Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, the situation was the same. Wherever he went, media lights, cameras, and headlines would centre on him, and that continues even today.
  You can see that newspapers compete to publish the best headline about Narendra Modi and who covers him more effectively. When you go abroad, especially among English newspapers, there is competition over who can craft a better headline. So this is a ‘God-gifted’ quality. It is also the result of his own hard work. Goddess Saraswati guides his speech. His charisma is globally recognised, making media attention wherever he goes natural.
• At G-20, Narendra Modi introduced six major proposals for inclusive and sustainable global growth. How do you see these? Apart from these six proposals, were there any other important announcements related to India?
  The proposals mainly focus on collective and holistic development of all nations, covering areas such as Artificial Intelligence, healthcare, and development. If we break them down further, broadly speaking, one proposal relates to healthcare response. The second relates to partnerships on satellite data. Then there is the Skill Multiplier Initiative, a proposal on critical minerals, and the proposal addressing the drug and terror nexus. All these proposals deal with the current global challenges and global threats.
  Another important aspect is strengthening economic relations among G-20 nations and tackling threats like the drug nexus through timely warnings. These six proposals were important and widely accepted. Narendra Modi participated in three sessions, receiving a very positive response from G-20 countries. Secondly, a significant trilateral agreement was signed between India, Australia, and Canada. It was also proposed to create a global framework for telecom connectivity. Narendra Modi emphasised focusing not on today’s jobs, but on tomorrow’s possibilities, urging preparation for the future. These two or three announcements were separate from the six proposals. Apart from this, several bilateral meetings were held with national leaders to discuss issues, but these points were the key announcements beyond the six proposals.
• How do you view Trump’s unofficial boycott of the G-20? What impact will it have on the future of the grouping?
  It is really unfortunate. This is the first time since 1999 that he has been wilfully absent from the conclave, and it is an unexpected break in the tradition of G-20. But in this world, no work ever stops, and nothing is indispensable. The 18 countries present passed the Early Resolution proposal despite Trump’s anger, and they did not let it show on their faces whether they agreed or disagreed with Trump. No one allowed it to become visible. But this also means that Trump is trying to betray the basics of established global organisations, whether it is WHO or G-20. He does not want any organisation to exist that could become a challenge to his authority at the global level. What is the impact? The biggest impact of this will be on poor nations , especially the 20 African countries. There is currently a debt burden of 100 trillion dollars on these nations. They were expecting help and debt relief through G-20. So this means Trump is trying to distance himself from underdeveloped and developing nations in terms of financial support. This is essentially a betrayal of America’s historical global role. We will see the impact of this in the coming years. However, the courage and conviction of the countries should be appreciated — that even in the face of Trump’s opposition, they held the summit, passed the early resolution and declaration, and stood tall before Trump.
• Some critics say that although G-20 discussed Ukraine and terrorism, the forum remained silent on issues related to Gaza. Why is that? Narendra Modi firmly reminded global leaders that there should be no room for double standards in global terror fight. Is this message reaching Trump?
  This happened because every country has its own political compulsions. There are certain areas where G-20 has failed to manage contradictions, and Gaza is one of them. Yes, they did pass a proposal stating that attacks should not be carried out on civilians or civilian infrastructure like hospitals or power projects. But because of political reasons, they avoided making a specific mention of Gaza in the resolution. Regarding your second question, you are right, this message was indirectly meant for Trump. Initially, Trump had said that the USwould stand with India in eliminating terrorism. But what happened afterward? Munir, who is a symbol of terrorism, and not just India-Pakistan terrorism, but global terrorism, is essentially a creator and promoter of terrorism in Pakistan. Trump invited him for lunch, hugged him, and established business relations with him, at the cost of India and Indian sentiments. What bigger double standard can there be? Without naming Trump, the PM conveyed clearly that what Trump is doing shouldn’t be done, & no country should follow such an approach because it will fail. Modi warned all nations, saying the threat is very dangerous & urgent action is needed against terrorism, or it will soon be too late to respond.

TO BE CONTINUED...

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