WORLD & GEOPOLITICS
India’s election is particularly salient this month, with the world’s largest population (11% of the globe) and 969 million eligible voters. Despite facing harsh criticism for eroding Indian democracy, the independence of state institutions, and the free press, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, head of the Hindu nationalist BJP party, is considered the frontrunner in what would be his third term.
Throughout his time, Modi’s Hindu nationalist policies have reshaped India, polarising society and shifting towards Hindu majoritarian rule. The Financial Times explains how, under his leadership, the BJP has established itself as one of the most “organised and efficient” political parties in modern democratic politics. Modi has managed to develop a cult-like status and ruthlessly build the BJP machine around himself, from street-level activists, Hindu religious organisations, and big business.
Hindu nationalism has been a central feature under Modi’s leadership. His government has increasingly passed laws targeting Muslims (and Christians), placing significant barriers to acquiring citizenship, marriage, religious conversion or owning property. In a letter to the Indian Election Commission, more than 17,000 Indians have urged action over Modi’s recent speech calling Muslims “infiltrators”.
In this 2024 election campaign, the strategic use of A.I. is also a first. With over 250 spoken languages in India, the BJP are sending out A.I. avatars of themselves to deliver messages, automatically generated in a voters’ preferred language. The use of A.I. demonstrates the potential to revolutionise political campaigning. Hyper-personalised outreach, whether through A.I. generated videos, chatbots, or avatars, could provide an efficient and cost-effective alternative to traditional campaigning methods. However, some stress the challenges that A.I. generated content poses for Indian voters, reminiscent of the misinformation spread across WhatsApp prior to the 2019 elections. The flip side is, of course, the creation of deepfakes for political propaganda, with grave consequences for democratic systems and safeguarding the integrity of elections.
In the Middle East, the Iranian attack on Israel has triggered unprecedented fears of a broader escalation. Blows between the two countries have highlighted the extent to which Arab states have maintained their strong ties to Israel. Some may have been surprised to read about the supportive role that Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates played in helping Israel shoot down 300 Iranian drones and missiles on the 13th of April. This nifty guide provides a blueprint of these relationships which are crucial to accurately understanding the historical and political context of the region -
The New York Times - A Cheat Sheet to the Middle East’s Web of Friends and Enemies