Narendra Modi becomes longest-serving head of elected government in India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the longest-serving head of an elected government in India, surpassing Pawan Kumar Chamling. The milestone marks over two decades of leadership, alongside record-breaking electoral success and a strong digital presence across global platforms
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has achieved a historic milestone in Indian politics by becoming the longest-serving head of an elected government in the country.
With this, PM Modi has surpassed Pawan Kumar Chamling, who held office as Chief Minister of Sikkim for 8,930 days. He has now completed 8,931 days as head of government, combining his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat and as Prime Minister, thereby entering his 25th year in a leadership role.
The milestone is being seen as a rare and significant achievement, reflecting decades of uninterrupted public service and political leadership at the highest level.
Over the course of his career, PM Modi has set several notable records, including being the longest-serving Chief Minister of Gujarat and the Prime Minister with the longest prior experience as a CM.
He is also the first Prime Minister of India to have been born after Independence and has secured victory in three consecutive Lok Sabha elections in 2014, 2019 and 2024, a feat that underscores political longevity and sustained public mandate.
Narendra Modi first assumed office as Chief Minister of Gujarat on October 7, 2001, and continued in the role until May 21, 2014, leading the state for more than 13 years before moving to national politics.
He was sworn in as the 14th Prime Minister of India on May 26, 2014, becoming the first non-Congress leader to secure a full majority in the Lok Sabha. He later became the first non-Congress Prime Minister to complete two full terms in office and return for a third consecutive term.
In addition to this milestone, PM Modi has crossed several other significant benchmarks this year, particularly in the digital domain.
Earlier this month, he reached 30 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, strengthening his position as one of the most-followed global leaders on the platform.
With this, he currently leads among both serving and former heads of government in terms of subscriber base, remaining well ahead of other prominent international political figures.
In February, PM Modi also crossed 100 million followers on Instagram, becoming the first serving world leader and politician to achieve the milestone on the platform.
Since joining Instagram in 2014, his presence has steadily grown into one of the most active and widely followed accounts among global leaders, reflecting a sustained outreach strategy aimed at engaging audiences both within India and internationally. He is currently at 101 million followers on the social media platform.
On X, PM Modi has 106.4 million followers.
