Modi’s return to power would not mean the death of Indian democracy

While these developments are alarming, they also show that Indian democracy remains alive and kicking, such that the BJP does not have complete control over the narrative of Indian politics.

03:55

Online hate stokes fear among Muslims as Indian elections loom

While these concerns are not unwarranted, it is also true that India maintains a vibrant media landscape, which includes vocal criticism of the government on social media and other platforms. This was evident from Modi’s recent interviews with several prominent journalists who challenged the government on everything from its economic achievements to its authoritarian tendencies.

02:49

Why has India’s Manipur state exploded into ethnic violence?

All of this should be a wake-up call for how the West views India. Historically, the West touted India’s credentials as the world’s largest democracy as justification for deepening engagement with the country (as a bulwark against the rise of China). The preamble to almost every joint statement between India and a Western country points to their common democratic heritage as the basis for deepening cooperation.

However, India rarely employs its democratic credentials as an explicit tool of its foreign policy. India’ s relations with non- or weakly democratic regimes, from Iran and Russia to Myanmar and Bangladesh, has put New Delhi at odds with the West.

Modi’s rise to power and his likely re-election is not a sign of electoral manipulation but a reflection of his popularity, and the lack of a credible and unified opposition capable of challenging the government on some of its key policy failures.

02:25

India’s biggest election loser gets ready for his 239th defeat

At the same time, the cult of personality surrounding Modi is the BJP’s