Besides cultural similarities, there are social and political commonalities between the world’s largest democracy India and third largest democracy in the world Indonesia. Muslims constitute 90 per cent of Indonesia’s 260 million people, while Hindus make up to more than 80 per cent of the population in India. Islamic radicalisation is a growing threat in both the countries.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, are similar on many counts. Both assumed power at the centre in 2014 and are facing elections this year.
Outsiders: Both PM Modi and President Widodo are considered outsiders. Both come from humble backgrounds. While Modi was a chaiwala, Jokowi, as he is popularly known, was a carpenter.
Popular leaders: In terms of popularity, Jokowi with 71 per cent approval ratings tops the list of world leaders. PM Modi with 63 per cent is on the third slot. Both are popular among the poor and rural populations.
Anti-graft crusaders: PM Modi’s non-corruptible image has helped him moving ahead of his rivals in terms of credibility. Despite their best efforts, the Opposition could not dent Modi’s image as a non-corruptible political leader. Jokowi is also popular for his anti-corruption stance.
Development push: PM Modi and Jokowi came to power on the issue of development. Indonesia is now better connected because of Jokowi’s infrastructure push.
Social media popularity: Both leaders have huge following on social media platforms. Social media plays a big role in both the countries. Indonesia has high Internet penetration.
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