PM Modi at 75: 24 years of public life, three consecutive terms and an unmatched political run

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

From his days as an RSS pracharak to becoming India’s third-longest serving Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s journey reflects political durability and an enduring popularity. As he turns 75 on September 17, he continues his 24th year as an elected official — 13 years as Gujarat chief minister and 11 years as Prime Minister. He is notably the longest-serving elected official in the history of India, surpassing the records set by India's first PM Jawaharlal Nehru. For a tenure spanning both handsome majorities and coalition politics, the Prime Minister's personal approval also remains high among his global peers.

24 years in elected office

Modi's political ascent began on October 7, 2001, when he became Gujarat's youngest chief minister at the age of 51. He served 4,611 days (nearly 13 years) in Gandhinagar before moving to New Delhi, where he has now completed 4,133 days as India's 14th prime minister. This combined tenure of 8,744 days makes him the longest-serving non-Congress head of government in post-independent India.

Second-longest uninterrupted PM stint
A watershed moment came on July 25, 2025 when Modi crossed 4,078 consecutive days in office, surpassing Indira Gandhi's 4,077 days from her first tenure, to become India's second-longest continuously serving prime minister. Only Jawaharlal Nehru's 6,130-day tenure now stands ahead of him in the unbroken service category. Overall, he is the third longest-serving PM after Nehru and Indira Gandhi. He surpassed Manmohan Singh's record last year.

Global approval leadership

Modi continues to lead in popularity metrics, holding the title of the world's most approved democratic leader with a 75% approval rating on the Morning Consult Global Leader Approval Tracker as of July 2025. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung follows in second place with an approval rating of 59%, while US President Donald Trump is in eighth place with less than 45% approval. Modi has consistently clocked high approval ratings throughout his tenure.

Social media supremacy

Modi’s digital influence has reached historic heights in 2025, with his combined social media following crossing 250 million across platforms. His X (formerly Twitter) account leads all world leaders with 109 million followers, followed by 97 million on Instagram and 51 million on Facebook.

Diplomatic footprint expansion

Modi has also redefined India's global engagement through unprecedented diplomatic outreach. As of September 2025, he has undertaken 92 international trips to 78 countries, establishing himself as India's most travelled prime minister. His 2021–2025 period alone included 33 foreign visits covering 15 nations at a cost of Rs 362 crore.

Remarkable rise of BJP

The rise of Narendra Modi in Indian politics has also been directly propotional to BJP's expansion across India. PM Modi led BJP to three consecutive victories in Lok Sabha elections (2014, 2019 and 2024). Despite the saffron party losing majority in the lower house last year, it managed to form the government again with the help of allies. In 2019, PM Modi helped BJP post its best-ever Lok Sabha performance when the party won 303 seats. Moreover, BJP has not just grown nationally but also established its footprint across the length and breadth of India. In 2014, when Modi first came to power, BJP-led NDA had governments in just seven states. Since the latest assembly elections in February 2025, the NDA is now in power in as many as 19 states and two Union Territories.