With over 100 million followers, Modi becomes most followed world leader on X
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's followers on his X handle surpassed the 100-million mark on Sunday, marking an impressive growth of nearly 30 million in the past three years, according to officials.
He currently holds the distinction of being the most followed head of government globally on the social media platform.
Comparatively, opposition leaders such as AAP's Arvind Kejriwal and Congress' Rahul Gandhi have 27.5 million and 26.4 million followers respectively, significantly fewer than Modi's count.
Other prominent world leaders with substantial followings include US President Joe Biden (38.1 million) and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan (21.5 million).
In a post, Prime Minister Modi expressed his gratitude, stating, "A hundred million on @X! Happy to be on this vibrant medium and cherish the discussion, debate, insights, people's blessings, constructive criticism and more. Looking forward to an equally engaging time in the future as well."
Officials highlighted that Modi's follower count exceeds that of active global athletes like Virat Kohli (64.1 million), Neymar Jr (63.6 million), and LeBron James (52.9 million). Additionally, he surpasses celebrities such as Taylor Swift (95.3 million), Lady Gaga (83.1 million), and Kim Kardashian (75.2 million).
They noted that global leaders often eagerly engage with Modi on social media platforms, as connecting with him significantly boosts their own follower base, engagements, views, and reposts. This trend was observed recently in Italy and Austria, officials added.
Prime Minister Modi also maintains a strong presence on YouTube with nearly 25 million subscribers and Instagram with more than 91 million followers.
Since joining X (formerly Twitter) in 2009, Modi has used the platform for constructive engagement, never resorting to blocking anyone or employing paid promotions or bots. Officials emphasised his active and engaging persona, where he interacts with common citizens and responds to their messages, reflecting his ability to connect with a diverse and dynamic audience. PTI