Prime Minister Narendra Modi has scripted another digital milestone, emerging as the first political leader in the world to surpass 100 million followers on Instagram. The landmark achievement underscores his unmatched presence on social media and reinforces his position as the most followed serving world leader online.
Since launching his Instagram account in 2014, Modi’s digital footprint has expanded dramatically. His follower count now stands at more than twice that of U.S. President Donald Trump, who currently has 43.2 million followers on the platform, as per News18. Notably, even if the next five most-followed global leaders were to combine their audiences, their total would still not exceed Modi’s individual tally.
The gap between Modi and other international leaders on Instagram is striking. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has 15 million followers, while Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva commands 14.4 million. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan follows with 11.6 million, and Argentine President Javier Milei has 6.4 million, as per reports.
Within India, the Prime Minister’s popularity on Instagram remains unparalleled. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ranks second with 16.1 million followers, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has 12.6 million.
The social media milestone coincides with Modi’s two-day official visit to Israel. During his trip, he was conferred the Speaker of the Knesset Medal — the highest honour awarded by the Israeli Parliament — after delivering an address in the Knesset. The recognition cited his “exceptional contribution through personal leadership” in deepening strategic cooperation between India and Israel.
The honour reflects the strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations in recent years, spanning defence, innovation, agriculture and technology sectors.
This latest achievement comes on the heels of another major benchmark in 2024, when Modi crossed 100 million followers on X, formerly known as Twitter. His account on that platform has added nearly 30 million followers over the past three years, cementing his position as the most followed incumbent world leader there as well.
With a growing global audience and sustained online engagement, Modi’s social media influence continues to set new records, reflecting the evolving role of digital platforms in modern political communication.
