The News
India marks its 77th Independence Day Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a politically-charged Independence Day address in New Delhi, attacking opposition leaders.
We’ve curated reporting and insights about India’s current political climate under Modi’s rule.
Insights
- Modi’s 10th Independence Day speech was heavily political, framing the 2024 general elections as a fight against corruption, dynastic politics, and appeasement. He targeted the opposition as a party steeped in nepotism and expressed confidence in winning against the 26-party alliance which has formed to take on his ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP). — The Indian Express
- India under Modi is a country of mob rule and a “holy mess”, argues academic Sushant Singh, and those engaged in a campaign of violence against minorities have been emboldened by his Hindu nationalist government. Empowering mobs will only lead to a “disempowered State” Singh writes. Such a state, he said, “can be majoritarian, but it will not be democratic. It can be new India, but it will not be our India.” — Deccan Herald
- There is reason to be optimistic about India’s economic future, but under Modi, the country has taken a turn away from democratic values, the Financial Times editorial board writes. Press freedoms are eroding, and political opponents are targeted. The board argues that New Delhi will need to make “significant changes” if it wants to continue capitalizing on its economic potential: “Without reform and commitment to democratic values, the momentum will stall and India’s economy will have yet another false dawn.”
