By Sardar Khan Niazi

In May 2024, Narendra Modi secured a third consecutive term as India’s prime minister, a feat not achieved since Nehru. However, while his supporters hail him as a transformative leader reshaping India’s global profile, a closer look reveals that Modi’s vision is driving the country into uncertain — and perhaps perilous — territory. India, long seen as the world’s largest democracy and a secular republic, now finds itself at a crossroads where democratic institutions are being hollowed out, religious minorities feel increasingly alienated, and dissent is routinely stifled. Modi’s rise and sustained popularity rest on a mix of muscular nationalism, majoritarian politics, and tight media control — a combination that may energize the base but erodes the very foundations upon which India was built. At the heart of Modi’s governance is the promotion of Hindutva, the ideological backbone of his party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The idea of India as a pluralistic and inclusive society — home to over 200 million Muslims and countless other minorities — is being replaced with a vision of India as a Hindu-first nation. From the revocation of Article 370 in Kashmir to the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and the construction of the Ram Mandir on the rubble of Babri Masjid, the Modi era has seen a decisive turn toward religious majoritarianism. This shift is not merely symbolic. It has real-world consequences. Hate crimes against Muslims and Dalits have surged, often with perpetrators enjoying impunity. The recent bulldozer justice — demolishing homes of alleged Muslim protesters without due process — reflects a dangerous melding of populist authoritarianism and communal bias. Such actions not only violate constitutional norms but also fracture India’s already fragile social fabric. Equally troubling is the degradation of democratic checks and balances. Key institutions — the judiciary, the Election Commission, the media — are increasingly seen as compromised or compliant. Journalists critical of the government face raids, arrests, or worse. Civil society organizations are strangled with bureaucratic red tape and funding restrictions. This shrinking civic space has alarmed both domestic observers and international watchdogs. India’s rankings on press freedom and democratic indices have plummeted, raising questions about the health of its democracy. On the economic front, Modi’s record is mixed at best. While initiatives like Make in India and digitization campaigns have gained attention, they have not translated into broad-based economic growth. Unemployment remains stubbornly high, especially among youth. The informal sector, which sustains a majority of the workforce, was devastated by demonetization and the poorly executed GST rollout. India’s middle class is shrinking, inequality is rising, and welfare schemes are increasingly tied to political loyalty rather than genuine need. Moreover, Modi’s foreign policy, often touted as bold and assertive, has yielded limited tangible benefits. Relations with neighbors like China, Nepal, and even once-friendly Bangladesh have become strained. His overt alignment with the West — particularly the US and Israel — may win headlines, but it risks alienating key partners and undermining India’s traditional non-aligned stance. To be clear, Modi remains immensely unpopular among large sections of India’s electorate. His messaging is ineffective, his political machine terrible. However, the cost of his low esteem has been his unwise, imprudent, careless, ill-advised, indiscreet and injudicious leadership. The long-term consequences of his polarizing policies may not be immediately visible, but they are accumulating. India, a country of unparalleled diversity and a lot of potential, deserves leadership that unites rather than divides, that strengthens institutions rather than subverts them. Modi’s third term did not offer him a chance to course-correct. However, if the past decade is any indication, India’s future under Modi is not one of confident clarity — but of creeping uncertainty.