Profile: Narendra Modi, prime minister of India

India’s leader has pursued a policy of Hindu nationalism to the detriment of other religious groups, especially Muslims. But the Covid-19 pandemic which he boasted had been contained under his leadership has erupted into a catastrophe affecting all of Indian society

In brief

Name and role: Narendra Modi, prime minister of India

Age: 70

Appearance: Neatly dressed yogi

Newsworthiness: long regarded as a political juggernaut, the Indian prime minister‘s handling of Covid-19 has caused cracks to appear in his authority

In depth

Narendra Modi was in buoyant mood when he appeared by video at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January.

The experts, India’s prime minister said, had wrongly predicted that the country would be ...