Washington, D.C. — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has won a third six-year term, but Indian opposition parties made significant gains, with his party losing more seats than expected. In response, Allison McManus, managing director for the National Security and International Policy department at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
These election results show the resilience of Indian democracy against significant odds. The Modi government tried to preserve power through election interference, which included unfairly targeting the media, repressing the opposition, and vilifying India’s large Muslim minority. While a strong opposition may constrain Modi in his third term, it is not likely to fundamentally change his own Hindu nationalist vision for the world’s largest democracy. India is an important partner in trade, climate, and security, and the United States should remain vigilant about the risks that this vision poses to shared values and interests.
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