Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday crossed the milestone of 100 million followers on Instagram, becoming the first world leader to achieve the feat on the platform. Having joined Instagram in 2014, PM Modi’s account has grown over the past decade into the most-followed political profile globally. His follower count is more than double that of US President Donald Trump, who currently has around 43.2 million followers. Among other world leaders, Prabowo Subianto has about 15 million followers, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva around 14.4 million, Recep Tayyip Erdogan roughly 11.6 million,
In a striking gesture ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival, Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, was illuminated in the colours of the Indian tricolour, a symbolic tribute to the growing warmth in India-Israel ties. Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana shared a nighttime image of the building glowing in saffron, white, and green, as PM Modi began his two-day state visit to Israel on February 25. The gesture is being viewed as both a personal honour and a reflection of the expanding bilateral partnership. This marks PM Modi’s second visit to Israel in nine years. During his landmark
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday celebrated India’s agricultural transformation and cultural resurgence during the 131st episode of Mann Ki Baat. He highlighted a nationwide movement to preserve heritage seeds, applauding farmers for driving meaningful change. Referring to Kerala’s Thrissur district, he noted that farmers cultivate nearly 570 varieties of rice, including indigenous, medicinal, and interstate strains. He described the effort as more than agriculture, a people-led campaign to safeguard India’s seed legacy. The results, he said, are reflected in national data, wit
The India–Japan joint military exercise Dharma Guardian 2026 is set to be held at Chaubattia, Uttarakhand, from February 24 to March 9. Conducted annually on an alternating basis between the two countries, the exercise aims to enhance interoperability between the Indian Army and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), particularly in joint urban warfare and counter-terrorism operations. According to the Additional Directorate General of Public Information, the two-week engagement will focus on joint planning, synchronised tactical drills, and specialised combat training. Activities
India has gifted the Maldives its first high-speed ferry to operationalise new transport links between key atolls, marking a major boost to maritime connectivity in the island nation. The vessel, built with Indian assistance, will operate under the Raajje Transport Link (RTL) system, connecting Faafu and Dhaalu Atolls. It is the first of 12 ferries planned under the High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP) Phase III agreement signed in January 2025. The project involves a total grant of MVR 100 million (approximately ₹55 crore) and focuses on strengthening maritime connectivity
India and France have elevated their bilateral ties to a new level by announcing a ‘Special Global Strategic Partnership’, reaffirming their shared commitment to global stability, prosperity, and a rules-based international order. The announcement was made during the Mumbai visit of French President Emmanuel Macron, following a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Lok Bhavan. Addressing the media, both leaders expressed their resolve to deepen cooperation across strategic sectors. On the occasion, they virtually inaugurated the assembly line of Tata Advanced Sy
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron to India with a message on X, signalling renewed momentum in bilateral ties as Macron began a three-day official visit focused on artificial intelligence, defence cooperation, and the broader strategic partnership between the two countries. “Welcome to India! India is delighted to welcome your visit and intends to give new momentum to our strategic partnership. See you very soon in Mumbai, then in Delhi, my dear friend,” Modi wrote. Earlier, Macron shared a post from his flight, saying he was travelling with a de
The coastal radar systems were part of Japan’s Official Security Assistance programme for fiscal year 2023, the year the grant framework for like-minded countries was launched. “The South China Sea is a vital sea lane for many countries through which a large portion of our trade and energy supplies pass. Safety, openness, and stability of these waters are therefore of direct importance to our own security and prosperity,” Japanese Ambassador Kazuya Endo said during the handover ceremony. He added that enhancing the Philippine Navy’s maritime capabilities would contribute to both re
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil the name of the building complex Seva Teerth on February 13, 2026, at around 1:30 PM, followed by its formal inauguration along with Kartavya Bhavan–1 & 2 at approximately 6 PM. The Prime Minister will also address a public programme at Seva Teerth on the same day. The inauguration marks a significant milestone in India’s administrative governance framework and reflects the government’s commitment to creating a modern, efficient, accessible, and citizen-centric governance ecosystem. For decades, several key government offices and ministrie
India and Malaysia on Sunday, February 8th, 2026, vowed to significantly expand cooperation across key sectors, including trade and investment, defence, energy, advanced manufacturing, and semiconductors, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim held wide-ranging talks in Kuala Lumpur. The two sides signed 11 agreements to strengthen bilateral engagement, notably a framework pact to deepen collaboration in the semiconductor sector. Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s firm stance on terrorism, stating that there would be “no double standards, no comp