Last month, the 2024 Indian general elections were held, leading to the third re-election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu Nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. 

To many, the re-election of Modi signals the rise of Hindu nationalism in Indian society and the country’s shift towards theocracy and authoritarianism. 

Associate Professor and Director of Global Studies in the University of Auckland Faculty of Arts, Chris Ogden, talked to us about the significance of Modi’s election victory and why we should be keeping a closer eye on the world’s largest democracy.