Democracy Modi-fied – Populism in India and German-Indian Relations

November 21, 2024, 2:15 PM

India has become an important centre of power in the Global South and its influence is steadily increasing. As a growth market and political counterweight to China, it is a key partner for Germany. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country is pursuing a populist course, alongside its self-confident foreign policy and ambitious economic goals. This is a cause for concern in parts of the Indian population, as well as in the international community.
This Hindu nationalism, a theocratic form of populism, disadvantages more than 200 million Muslims in the country and jeopardizes social cohesion. Minorities are oppressed and freedom of the press has declined rapidly in recent years. Although Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost its absolute majority in the 2024 election, it remains in power, continuing its alliance with other parties.
Together with our experts, we want to look back at the parliamentary election in India and discuss the implications of the election for Indo-German relations. What options does Germany have to maintain the positive relationship and continue to cooperate with India both bilaterally and in the solution of global problems?

Chair
Dr Marcus Kaplan
Executive Director, Development and Peace Foundation (sef:)

Discussion
Dr habil Christian Wagner
Senior Fellow, German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), Berlin
Rajeshwari Krishnamurthy
Visiting Fellow, Insitute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS), New Delhi
Christoph P. Mohr
Country Director, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, India

More information and registration at https://www.sef-bonn.org/en/events/bonn-symposium/2024/.