Modi in the US: Why the PM enjoys a rockstar-like status among Indians abroad

There is one thing that stands out in all of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s travels to foreign nations – diaspora diplomacy. And this visit to the United States will be no different.

The Indian PM has a busy schedule. Hours after landing in New York, the PM met Tesla’s Elon Musk, Nobel laureate Paul Romer, and other academicians and intellectuals. He is leading the United Nations celebrations for International Yoga Day, will hold bilaterals with US president Joe Biden and sign some historic deals. But amid all this, he will be taking time out and interacting with the Indian diaspora.

Everywhere the PM travels he gets a rockstar welcome from the diaspora. Indians living abroad absolutely love Modi. We take a look at why he is so popular among the desis.

A grand welcome in New York

A similar scene unfolds on PM’s foreign visits. Those of Indian-origin throng to meet him, cheering him on and chanting his name.

Modi received a grand welcome from the Indian community when he landed in New York on Tuesday. Indian ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu and India’s permanent representative to the UN Ruchira Kamboj received him at the airport.

Hundreds of others gathered to take selfies with the Indian leader, shake his hand or just get a glimpse of him. As PM headed to the Lotte New York Palace on Madison Avenue, a massive crowd gathered outside to greet him.

The Federation of Indian Associations, one of the oldest diaspora organisations in the US, flew a 250-feet long banner over the Hudson River in New York to welcome the PM.

An Indian-American Minesh C Patel was seen wearing a jacket with PM’s image on it. “This jacket was made in 2015 during Gujarat Day... We have 26 of these (jackets) and out of these 26 four of them are here today,” he told ANI.

The celebrations started even before the PM arrived. Indian Americans organised a Unity March in Washington DC, New York and 20 other big American cities on Sunday. It was like a street party, where thousands danced to the popular song “Har Har Modi”, chanting “Modi Modi”, “Vande Mataram” and “Vande America”.

“We are all here, the Indian diaspora in Washington DC, Maryland and all the surrounding cities, we are all here to celebrate the ‘Unity Day’ and the PM Modi joining American president Biden. So, this is a great event for all of us and a great moment for all of us,” one of the participants of the march, Ramesh Anam Reddy, told ANI.

“We wanted to celebrate that and wanted to make sure that everyone knows how the India and America relationships are growing and how they are helpful. I think India is making all the difference,” he added.

Also read: For the diaspora, Modi has made it ‘cool’ to be an Indian

The PM will also be meeting other prominent Indian Americans at the state dinner to be hosted by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at the White House. And there is a big diaspora event planned for 23 June, where the PM will address an invitation-only gathering of leaders from across the country at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington.

And like we have seen in Houston in 2019 and most recently in Syndey, we can expect a full house.

But what makes the PM so popular among the diaspora?

Modi’s rockstar appeal

It all started in 2014 when the newly elected prime minister visited the US and addressed a gathering of 20,000 NRIs at New York’s Madison Square Garden. That September evening, Modi received a welcome like few other world leaders receive. People travelled from across the country and Canada to see the PM on his first trip to the US.

People wore T-shirts with the Indian leader’s face and shouted out his name. “…And when the man himself emerged, the capacity crowd… in New York’s most storied arena roared as one, as if all the Knicks, all the Rangers, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen had suddenly materialized,” wrote The New York Times in 2014.

Back then, many said that it was the Gujarati community, which forms a significant population of the diaspora in the US, that filled the stadium. But it wasn’t only in America that the PM drew crowds. It was everywhere he went.

Modi’s diaspora diplomacy was working its magic. The last time Modi was in the US in September 2019, he addressed a mega rally at the NRG Stadium in Houston. The “Howdy Modi” event, as it was called, was attended by 50,000 people, a large number of them being Indian Americans.

The Indian premier shared the stage with then-US president Donald Trump. This was unheard of for an American head of state to join a diaspora event for a foreign leader on the country’s soil.

PM Modi’s popularity among the diaspora has only grown since. A month ago, at Syndey’s Qudos Bank Arena more than 20,000 people gathered to listen to his speech. They cheered and clapped as Modi took centre stage. His Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese was all praises and called the Indian premier “the boss”, saying that Modi got a bigger reception than American singer Bruce Springsteen.

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Connecting with the community

Modi’s celebrity-like status is rare for a politician, especially overseas. Indian PMs visiting foreign countries have always interacted with the diaspora but few have received such adulation.

What changed since 2014 is the prime minister’s approach toward the diaspora. He recognised and acknowledged their growing influence and has gone above and beyond to establish a connection with them. For PM Modi, the Indians living abroad are not those who left the nation for better opportunities. He looks at them as ambassadors of India, those who can help in boosting the country’s image abroad and meet his foreign policy goals.

PM Mod’s speeches and conversations are peppered with stories of India’s progress and love for his motherland and these strike an emotional chord with the diaspora.

“One of the primary reasons for Modi’s strong connection with the Indian diaspora in various countries is his charismatic leadership style. His famed oratorical skills, combined with his ability to connect with people on an emotional level, have helped him forge a personal bond with the diaspora,” Syed Zafar Islam, national spokesperson of the BJP, wrote in The Indian Express.

The timing could not be better. Modi started connecting with Indians overseas when the country was on a growth trajectory. Today, it is the fastest-growing economy in the world. India is making all the right noises. It is a success story that Indians abroad want to be a part of. And PM Modi is making this happen.

With inputs from agencies

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