'New Epoch': How Modi’s Record-Breaking Tenure Reshaped India’s Political Template | WATCH

Last Updated:June 10, 2026, 11:26 IST

As Narendra Modi becomes India's longest-serving elected Prime Minister, panelists say his 4399 day tenure marks a new epoch.

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi completed 4,399 days in office to become India’s longest-serving democratically elected Prime Minister, Moneycontrol Managing Editor Nalin Mehta, Network18 Consulting Editor Rahul Shivshankar and CNN-News18 Managing Editor Anand Narasimhan said during a panel discussion that the milestone was more than a longevity record, describing it as the creation of a “new epoch" in Indian politics.

Speaking on the programme, Mehta said Modi’s tenure has fundamentally altered the country’s political template in a manner that will outlast his own career.

“Nehru symbolised an epoch, and it was felt that Nehru was India and after that India’s democracy would collapse. Modi also symbolises a new epoch. It was unthinkable after Nehru that you would have a leader with such longevity who defines an epoch in a way that will far outlive his own political trajectory," he said.

Drawing a comparison with Jawaharlal Nehru’s influence on post-Independence India, Mehta said Nehru’s ideas shaped Indian politics for decades, while Modi has introduced a distinctly different framework.

“The idea of Nehruvian India defined Indian politics for about 40-50 years. Until Modi came in and made a clear break from the past, the idea of Bharat that Modi has brought in is very different and will long define the template of Indian politics," Mehta said.

‘First Non-Congress PM To Hold Power For Such Long Period’

Meanwhile, Shivshankar argued that Modi represents the first non-Congress Prime Minister to hold office for such a prolonged period while building an alternative ideological and political model.

He said Modi has sought to combine “a civilisational objective" with market-oriented economics while placing welfare at the centre of governance.

According to him, Modi has transformed the BJP from a Hindi-heartland party into a pan-India political force.

“He has transformed a political party into a pan-India movement… Today it has become the default party of governance," Shivshankar said.

‘India’s Raised Global Profile’

The discussion also highlighted India’s enhanced international profile during Modi’s tenure.

He said India now occupies a stronger position in global diplomacy, adding that the Prime Minister has helped establish both himself and the country as global brands.

“He has significantly raised India’s global profile… India now stands as a brand of its own at the high table of diplomacy," Shivshankar said.

Modi Vs Nehru: Political Journeys Of India’s Two PMs

The panel also noted that Modi’s political journey differs significantly from that of India’s first Prime Minister.

“Nehru was born into the elite and into the party that led India’s Independence movement, the natural party of governance after Independence. Modi’s journey is very different. Modi was born into the proletariat. He symbolises an India that was not upper caste, not elite and not wealthy," Mehta said.

“He also comes from a party that, for a large part of India’s democratic journey, was not seen as the party of the nation. Though it was a party of nationalism, it was often viewed as being on the extreme right and outside the Nehruvian consensus. To understand Modi’s achievement, we have to keep these two contrasting backgrounds in mind," he added.

Mehta said that Nehru’s vision of India was centred on secularism, modernity and reform, while Modi’s political vision was rooted in a contrasting framework.

“The idea of Nehru’s India was about secularism, a new modern India and an India of reform that sought to break from its civilisational past. Modi, on the other hand, defines almost the exact opposite. The Modi era is about an Indic civilisation, unapologetic nationalism and a strong emphasis on welfare. Just as Nehru was deeply ideological from the perspective of secularism, Modi is equally ideological, though from the opposite direction," he said

“In the 1952 election, much of the Congress was culturally to the right, but Nehru single-handedly transformed the political debate into one of secularism versus communalism. Modi represents the exact opposite ideological shift. In his major victory speeches, including in 2019, he has repeatedly challenged the framework of secularism that dominated Indian politics for decades," Mehta added.

PM Modi Becomes India’s Longest-Serving PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday became India’s longest-serving elected prime minister with an unbroken tenure of 4,399 days in office, surpassing the record of the country’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.

Modi assumed office on May 26, 2014, after securing a landslide victory in the general elections. He was re-elected with a bigger mandate in 2019, with his second term beginning on May 30 that year. His third consecutive term started on June 9, 2024.

About the Author

News Desk

The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ...Read More

News india 'New Epoch': How Modi’s Record-Breaking Tenure Reshaped India’s Political Template | WATCH

Read More