How Narendra Modi’s language shapes India’s global voice
Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks in Hindi — but the world still listens in English. What does that say about India’s voice in global diplomacy?
By Sanjay Dubey
For a prime minister whose politics thrives on performance and nationalism, speaking in Hindi on the world stage is both identity and instrument. It also reflects a pragmatic reality — English is not a language in which Narendra Modi is most at ease. That should not be surprising in a country like India and, in fact, reflects the strength and inclusiveness of its democracy. But when it comes to international affairs, it might carry a cost.
Language is rarely neutral in society or in politics. When you speak Tamil in Tamil Nadu, Marathi in Maharashtra or Gujarati in Gujarat, you instantly become a little more familiar to the people there. The same applies to politics — domestic or international. When world leaders meet, what they say in private — suggestions, jokes, off-the-cuff reassurances, rapid clarifications — and how they say it can matter as much as the formal communiqués that follow. Direct communication in a common language is not only the purest form of expression but also the shortest route to trust. When people understand you more easily, they tend to trust you more and feel more comfortable in your company.
Narendra Modi’s public friendship with Donald Trump — the headline moments of Houston’s “Howdy Modi” and Ahmedabad’s “Namaste Trump” — were unmistakably theatrical and politically useful for both sides. They built a spectacle of affinity. But the question is, can such events replace the quieter and candid one-on-one diplomacy that takes place when nobody is within listening distance? The most probable answer is: the optics of friendship can be manufactured; spontaneous, private conversation between two leaders without any intermediary is far harder to replicate.