The Modi government has the unique distinction of being voted for the third consecutive time, for the first time in 62 years, since 1962. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s extraordinary achievement of being elected for the third time in a row gets even bigger, when looked at in the larger global context where incumbents in the last five years have seen their fortunes fading. For example, in the USA, the incumbent Joe Biden was voted out in 2024. In Indonesia, the incumbent coalition lost the Presidential elections in 2024, while in Brazil, the incumbent President was voted out in 2022.

Again, in Japan, the incumbent Party managed to retain power in 2021 only after twice changing its Prime Ministerial candidates. In the Philippines, the incumbent Vice President lost the Presidential elections in 2022 to the challenger. In Thailand, in the General Elections of 2023, the incumbent Prime Minister’s Party lost vote shares and seats to multiple Opposition Parties. In South Africa, the incumbent Party, the ANC, lost the majority in 2024 for the first time after 30 years of rule. In Colombia, the incumbent Party lost Presidential elections in 2022 with the Opposition left wing candidate winning for the first time. In South Korea, the incumbent Party’s Presidential candidate lost in 2022. Amidst global headwinds, PM Modi bucked the trend.

Beyond global dynamics, the first year of Modi 3.0 saw a new anti-terror paradigm. Clearly, Operation Sindoor has been a “quantum leap" from the localised 2016 Surgical Strike and the 2019 Balakot Airstrike, targeting multiple, high-value sites deep inside Pakistan’s heartland, including the Punjab province, near Lahore. From basic ground combat (2016) to advanced air-delivered munitions (2019) to sophisticated standoff missiles and drones (2025), Operation Sindoor reflects India’s shift to technology-driven warfare, emphatically establishing India’s new normal,which is essentially about putting the nation first, self-reliance, combat readiness, military agility and........

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