Modi spent years building his strong image - why is he making Gen Z reels now?
Many among India's Gen Z may not see Narendra Modi as a friend. But the Indian prime minister is trying to talk to them like one.
Why It Matters
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Key Facts
- Fact 1: The 75-year-old leader - who has long cultivated a strongman image through scripted speeches, formal broadcasts and carefully choreographed appearances - has in recent weeks adopted a more casual style on Instagram, the photo and video platform popular with young people.
- Fact 2: Modi has more than 106 million followers on Instagram, making him one of the most-followed political leaders on the platform.
- Fact 3: But the tone of his communication on the platform was never central to his team or the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) social media strategy, despite the party's reputation for acing the digital playbook that helped it win the 2014 elections.
- Fact 4: More than 60% of India's population is under 35 and Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) is expected to form one of the country's largest voting blocs by the 2029 general election, experts say.
Many among India's Gen Z may not see Narendra Modi as a friend. But the Indian prime minister is trying to talk to them like one.
The 75-year-old leader - who has long cultivated a strongman image through scripted speeches, formal broadcasts and carefully choreographed appearances - has in recent weeks adopted a more casual style on Instagram, the photo and video platform popular with young people. Modi's timeline, which until a month ago featured carefully curated posts, now also includes more "candid" content, such as a get-ready-with-me reel and several selfie-style addresses to young people, whom he calls "friends". In one video, he even refers to a phrase popular among Gen Z, saying, "first in my bloodline to build a rocket, a chip and a drone" while addressing students at a graduation ceremony in Delhi.
(Original synthesis pending human/AI review — generated by the stub provider by selecting real sentences from the source material, not by writing new analysis or commentary.)
Original source: BBC News World
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