Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has crossed 100 million followers on Instagram, becoming the first world leader and politician to achieve the milestone on the platform. Officials said the feat underscores Modi’s sustained digital dominance and global influence across social media ecosystems.
Modi, who joined Instagram in 2014, has built one of the most engaged accounts among global political leaders over the past decade. With over 100 million followers, he now has more than twice the Instagram following of U.S. President Donald Trump, who ranks second globally with 43.2 million followers.
Among other major leaders, Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto has around 15 million followers, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva about 14.4 million, Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan about 11.6 million, and Argentina’s President Javier Milei around 6.4 million. Officials noted that the combined Instagram follower count of these five leaders still falls short of Modi’s individual total.
Wide domestic lead on social media
Within India, Modi’s Instagram lead over political peers remains substantial. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath holds the second spot with about 16.1 million followers, followed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at roughly 12.6 million.
Approval ratings reinforce global leadership perception
The Prime Minister’s social media dominance coincides with strong approval metrics across global leadership trackers. As of December 2025, data cited from Statista placed Modi at the top among select world leaders with a 70% approval rating. Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ranked second at 63%, while Argentina’s Javier Milei was third at 60%. Trump ranked 11th with 43%.
More recent findings from U.S.-based business intelligence firm Morning Consult (surveyed February 2–8, 2026) also placed Modi first globally with a 67% approval rating. The Czech Republic’s former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš followed at 59%, while Takaichi ranked fifth at 56%. Trump again placed 11th at 40%.
Morning Consult’s 2025 data had similarly ranked Modi first among democratic leaders with a 75% approval score, followed by South Korea’s President Lee Jae‑myung at 59%, with Trump eighth at under 45%.
Digital influence as strategic political capital
The milestone highlights how social media scale is increasingly intertwined with political branding, soft power and direct voter communication. Modi’s Instagram strategy—combining governance updates, diplomacy imagery and personal moments—has positioned his account as a high-engagement channel with both domestic and global audiences.
Crossing 100 million followers not only cements Modi’s lead over global peers but also signals the expanding role of platform-native political communication in shaping leadership perception and international visibility.
