Time Magazine names Indian PM Modi among '30 Most Influential People on the Internet'

E-Paper | December 05, 2025

Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has been named among Time Magazine's 30 Most Influential People on the Internet, keeping company with other social media heavyweights, including reality star Kim Kardashian, former Olympic athlete Caitlyn Jenner and United States presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Time calls Modi an "internet star" who "uses social media to break news and conduct diplomacy". The magazine cites the example of Modi's 'surprise' visit to Lahore on the occasion of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's birthday ─ and the wedding of Nawaz's granddaughter.

The magazine says the Indian premier made headlines for the wrong reason when he wished Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani, happy birthday on Feb 12. "The Afghan president replied with his thanks and a polite note that he was actually born on May 19."

Other celebrities featured on the list include world famous author J.K. Rowling, musician Kanye West and football star Cristiano Ronaldo.

The news comes as Madame Tussauds announces it will immortalise the Indian PM in wax. He will be featured alongside other prominent world leaders in London, Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok.

Describing him as a “hugely important figure in world politics”, the museum said the Indian prime minister ─ who has a "massive social media presence" ─ had given the museum’s team of artists and experts a sitting at his residence in New Delhi earlier this year.

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Mar 17, 2016 12:30pm

Modi! Modi!

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Mar 17, 2016 12:36pm

This is just the beginning. I am sure he will go on winning many world recognitions. Way to go India and Modi!

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Vectra

Mar 17, 2016 12:37pm

The rise of Modi and India.Its Modified India.

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Kadva Sach

Mar 17, 2016 12:38pm

Love him or hate him, Modi is the smartest PM India has ever had. After all these years of opposition trying to nail him in fake cases, he still comes out a winner. Goes to prove he definitely has his heart and brains in the right place.

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Sunil

Mar 17, 2016 12:44pm

Modi still has to do a lot, what the people of India expected.

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Dilip Thorat

Mar 17, 2016 12:45pm

Excellent leader. The most popular and powerful PM of India. We are proud of you.

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Desi Dimag

Mar 17, 2016 12:49pm

Har-har Modi, Ghar-ghar Modi. Great Person great leader.

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Faisal

Mar 17, 2016 01:03pm

Wow, the same Time magazine owned by Times of India.

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Inqelab Zindabad

Mar 17, 2016 01:20pm

@Faisal ???

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RAJA CHILL

Mar 17, 2016 01:22pm

@Faisal , time magzine has no link to "times of india" group. Both have different owners.Time is an reputed international magzine and is not a india based media house.

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Pankaj

Mar 17, 2016 01:24pm

@Faisal Its not Times of India own Times magazine instead Times Group owns Times of India, Time Magazine, NY Times etc.. Sometimes its better to accept the truth instead of inventing theories out of it.

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lafanga

Mar 17, 2016 01:26pm

Wow he is going places , certainly a nice man to know ,good for Indians , you made the right choice.

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Ironman

Mar 17, 2016 01:30pm

@Faisal I would request you to please use the same internet for fact-finding which you just used to comment about TOI owning Time magazine.

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My 2 cents

Mar 17, 2016 01:40pm

Unfortunately, not a statesman - an influential because OF chair he sits on- sadly not by any leadership or statesmanship credentials...

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bryan

Mar 17, 2016 01:41pm

@Faisal That s laughable. Where did you get this information!

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kranti

Mar 17, 2016 02:23pm

Boss is always right... Neighbor's envy...

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shary

Mar 17, 2016 02:45pm

"Modi..keeping company with other social media heavyweights, including reality star Kim Kardashian"... amazing..

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Independent Observer

Mar 17, 2016 03:10pm

Modi is making a difference to the lives of 1.3 billion people directly and several billion others indirectly. He is the most influential Indian leader in the history. He will find himself in numerous such lists in the next decades. Pakistan will eventually accept working with Modi is a much smarter choice than against him.

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Vivek (Indore)

Mar 17, 2016 11:22pm

I am proud of my Prime Minister, the eighth most powerful person in the world is also the leader of more than 1.3 billion hearts. Not only the Indians, he has successfully won the hearts of the whole worldwide community. May god bless you Prime Minister, long live Modiji!

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Ajay vikram Singh

Mar 18, 2016 12:30am

LOL. Modi Ji, Tusi chha gye badshaho. You are truly exploring the real might of the office of Prime Minister of India. You have brought a corporate CEO type of focus, effective communication and transparency to the PM office, apart from many other things. After you, all future PMs of India will have to live up to the high standards that you are setting.

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Prasanna

Mar 18, 2016 01:59am

Modi is the man of development.Long live Modi Ji

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ROHIT PANDEY

Mar 18, 2016 01:01pm

I really wish I had his equanimity and sharpness. For a man who studied political science, he is sure very savvy about technology, administration, industry and a host of other things? I don't remember him complaining about the vilification he went through about his alleged role in the Gujarat riots? His dramatic visit to Pakistan upset ALL the preconceptions about him. I don't think India has ever had such a savvy leader. Jawaharlal Nehru was, of course, a well-read and erudite intellectual who laid foundations for institutions in India,( I am a deep admirer of him) but, Narendra Modi is has that sharp, smart, business-like acumen and gets things DONE...and does not lean on intellectualism alone? Go Narendra Modi, go!:):):)

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