KEY POINTS
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi turns 76 on Thursday.
- Modi has served as India’s prime minister since 2014 and previously governed Gujarat for 13 years.
- India’s 2026 BRICS chairship has focused on sustainability, innovation, cooperation and stability.
MAIN STORY
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is marking his 76th birthday on Thursday, nearly 12 years after he first assumed the country’s highest elected executive office.
Born on September 17, 1950, in Vadnagar, Gujarat, Modi began his organisational career with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) before joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Delhi in 1978 and later completed a Master of Arts degree in political science at Gujarat University. Delhi University confirmed his BA qualification in 2016.
Modi became active in the BJP’s organisation in Gujarat in the late 1980s and served in senior party positions before becoming Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001.
He remained in office until 2014, when he became Prime Minister of India. He has since led the country’s government through national programmes including Make in India and Digital India.
Beyond domestic governance, Modi’s tenure has also featured an active role in multilateral groupings, including BRICS, where India is chairing the grouping in 2026.
The 18th BRICS Summit was held in New Delhi from September 12 to 13, bringing together leaders of member countries for discussions on cooperation and development.
During the summit, Modi highlighted initiatives including an integrated system for responding to infectious disease outbreaks, a BRICS network of incubators and a startup fund.
He also highlighted BRICS Connect, an initiative aimed at expanding employment opportunities, alongside other programmes under India’s 2026 chairship.
India’s BRICS chairship has been built around four priorities: sustainability, innovation, cooperation and stability.
The grouping’s 2026 agenda also includes efforts to deepen cooperation among startups, entrepreneurs and incubators across member countries.
Modi’s birthday also comes as his government continues its third consecutive term. He was sworn in for a third term as prime minister in June 2024.
THE ISSUES
- Modi’s political career spans organisational work within the RSS and BJP, 13 years as Gujarat chief minister and more than a decade as India’s prime minister.
- India’s current BRICS chairship places Modi at the centre of the grouping’s 2026 programme, with the agenda covering innovation, sustainability, cooperation and stability.
- The BRICS initiatives highlighted during India’s chairship extend beyond political coordination to areas including public health preparedness, startup development and employment.
- Modi’s birthday comes against the backdrop of his third term as prime minister, which began in June 2024.
WHAT’S NEXT
India is expected to continue advancing the priorities of its 2026 BRICS chairship, including cooperation on innovation, public health preparedness, startups and employment.
BOTTOM LINE
Modi turns 76 as he continues his third term as India’s prime minister and leads the country’s 2026 BRICS chairship. His birthday comes against a year focused on expanding India’s role in multilateral cooperation through the grouping.
