Union Minister Shekhawat: India’s global image has shifted from Gandhi to Modi
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become India’s “biggest brand ambassador,” signaling a shift in the country’s global image that was long associated with Mahatma Gandhi. In an interview with PTI Videos, Shekhawat said India’s overseas identity has transformed over the past decade. He recalled that 10–15 years ago, many Indians abroad would initially describe themselves merely as “Asian,” and only later specify they were from India — a country most commonly linked to Gandhi.
“For decades, if someone abroad heard you were Indian, they would say, ‘India! Oh, Mr Gandhi,’” the minister said. “Today, I say with confidence, tell anyone anywhere that you are from India — from the smallest Caribbean island to America, from South Asia to West Asia — and you’ll often hear, ‘India! Oh, Mr Modi,’” he added.
When asked whether culture and tourism or Bollywood does more for India’s global image, Shekhawat replied that Prime Minister Modi is now the country’s leading brand ambassador. He emphasized that his view was non‑political and made “as a layman,” noting that Gandhi had served in that symbolic role for decades before Modi.
