A first-of-its-kind happening
Prime Minister Modi’s appearance on the podcast represents a unique moment in international media and politics as this will mark the first time he will sit down with a prominent Western podcaster. Fridman’s announcement came via social media, where he expressed his honour at hosting Modi, calling it an opportunity to have a “conversation that transcends borders and ideas”.
“India has emerged as a global leader in technology, economy, and geopolitics,” Fridman said on social media platform X. “I am excited to explore these themes with Prime Minister Modi, who has been at the forefront of India’s transformation.”
I will be doing a podcast with Narendra Modi (@narendramodi), Prime Minister of India, at the end of February.
I’ve never been to India, so I’m excited to finally visit and experience many facets of its vibrant, historic culture and its amazing people as fully as I can.
— Lex Fridman (@lexfridman) January 18, 2025
PM Modi’s growing presence in podcasting
Prime Minister Modi’s foray into the podcasting world may be a relatively new development on the global stage, but in India, he has already demonstrated a flair for leveraging the medium. Earlier this month, Modi made headlines with his appearance on a podcast hosted by Indian entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath, the co-founder of Zerodha, one of the country’s largest stockbroking platforms. That conversation, Modi’s first podcast appearance, marked a shift in how the leader engages with the public in the digital age.
On Kamath’s podcast, Modi spoke about his journey as a leader, the importance of education, and India’s position in the global economic landscape. In the podcast, the Prime Minister spoke about a host of topics, including global ones. Modi said India’s standing in the world had increased because of its actions.
“The world trusts us because there is no duplicity in us. What we say is clear. We repeatedly said we are not neutral. I am in favour of peace, and I will cooperate in every effort for it. I tell this to Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Palestine. Our credibility has increased because of this. The world thinks that India says what it believes.”
Responding to a question on how he dealt with anxiety, he recalled the 2002 incidents. “On February 24, 2002, I first became MLA. On February 27, I went to the (Gujarat) Assembly for the first time. Within three days as MLA, news came of the Godhra carnage. I said I want to go to Godhra, taking a helicopter from Baroda. There was just a single-engine ONGC helicopter available at that time. They refused, saying a VIP cannot be flown in a single-engine helicopter. I said I would give an undertaking in writing that I was willingly taking the risk. I took the helicopter to Godhra, and saw the bodies. I felt restless but I knew that in my post (as CM), I had to control myself and rise above emotions.”
