{"id":6435,"date":"2019-09-25T08:30:04","date_gmt":"2019-09-24T22:30:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/?p=6435"},"modified":"2023-08-06T20:08:00","modified_gmt":"2023-08-06T10:08:00","slug":"howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\/","title":{"rendered":"Howdy Modi in Houston: Why India\u2019s Narendra Modi puts so much effort into wooing the diaspora"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

IAN HALL<\/a> | <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With President Donald Trump as his \u201cwarm up act<\/a>\u201d, India\u2019s Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally of 50,000 members of the Indian diaspora at Houston\u2019s NRG Stadium\u00a0on September 22<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dubbed Howdy, Modi!<\/a>, the event kicks off a busy week in the US for Modi, with no fewer than 40 meetings to attend<\/a>. Apart from bilateral talks with Trump, he is due to speak at the UN General Assembly, attend a celebration of the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi\u2019s birth, and appear at the UN\u2019s Climate Action Summit. Modi will also collect a \u201cglobal goalkeeper\u201d award<\/a> from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for his government\u2019s Swachch Bharat<\/em> or \u201cClean India\u201d initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is the Howdy, Modi event that will attract attention, however, and not just because of the praise Modi and Trump heaped upon each other. Few leaders hold these kinds of events when they travel. But Modi has a long history of speaking to gatherings of the Indian diaspora when travelling overseas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2014, after the landslide election win that first brought his government to power, he appeared before a crowd of 18,000<\/a> at Madison Square Garden in New York, and then at another gathering, attended by a similar number, at the AllPhones Arena<\/a> in the Olympic Park in Sydney, Australia. A year later, Modi was joined by his British counterpart David Cameron in front of an estimated 60,000<\/a> members of the Indian diaspora at Wembley Stadium in London.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Campaign Modi<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Gatherings like Howdy, Modi are effectively campaign rallies, albeit organised abroad and involving people who, for the most part, cannot vote in India\u2019s elections. They are organised by Modi\u2019s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), working with diaspora civil society groups, and not primarily by officials from the local embassies or consulates. They allow Modi to be seen by viewers back home in as positive a light as possible, f\u00eated by an overwhelmingly supportive crowd made up of people whom ordinary Indians would consider savvy and successful. In this way, such events are part of Modi\u2019s broader, ongoing effort to consolidate his position as the most dominant Indian politician of his era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The Indian diaspora are an important fundraising tool for Modi. Patric Schneider\/EPA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There is, however, more to these events than just public relations. In recent years, India\u2019s elections have become colossally expensive. In 2014, an estimated US$5 billion was spent by the candidates<\/a>. In 2019, some estimate that figure grew to at least US$7 billion<\/a>. Modi\u2019s Hindu nationalist BJP almost certainly accounted for the majority of the spending. Prior to the poll, it had reportedly amassed<\/a> a considerable war chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A sizeable proportion of this money came from big corporations<\/a> and some from ordinary BJP members and supporters in India. But it\u2019s likely that a significant amount came from the Indian diaspora, despite the fact that many cannot vote in India, either because they are no longer citizens or, if they are, because they were unable to travel back home to cast their ballot, as they must do under current electoral law<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Delhi High Court found that both the BJP and the opposition Congress Party accepted foreign donations<\/a>, including from foreign-based companies, prior to the 2014 elections. Since then, the Modi government legislated<\/a> both to make it harder to trace the sources of campaign financing and to make it easier for foreign individuals and entities to donate money. Rallies such as Howdy, Modi are designed to thank past donors and to solicit future contributions, rather than to appeal for diaspora votes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uniting the diaspora<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

These events also serve as instruments of political consolidation. India\u2019s diaspora is as heterogeneous as India. And abroad, people of Indian origin and Indian citizens often coalesce into groups that reflect regional, linguistic, caste and religious identities, as well as national, \u201cIndian\u201d organisations. These sub-national groups help preserve those identities, but arguably also weaken the diaspora as a political force. Forging India lobbies in places such as the US that might influence governments on New Delhi\u2019s behalf is hard under such circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The BJP uses events like Howdy, Modi to try to address that problem, as a focal point around which various smaller groups can gather. The prime minister\u2019s Twitter feed made that clear, posting video of Modi meeting the representatives of particular communities, such as the Shia Muslim Dawoodi Bohras<\/a>, the Kashmiri Pandits<\/a>, and local Sikhs<\/a>. It is telling too that the organisers managed to attract sponsorship for Howdy, Modi from more than six hundred diaspora groups<\/a> from across the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Narendra Modi<\/strong>\u2714<\/strong>@narendramodi<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had an excellent interaction with the Sikh Community in Houston. I am delighted to see their passion towards India\u2019s development!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"View<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

44.1K<\/a>2:02 PM – Sep 22, 2019<\/a>
7,355 people are talking about this<\/a>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 2014, the Indian diaspora has been one of Modi\u2019s biggest supporters, politically and financially. Whether this backing will persist through his second term will be a key test. As India\u2019s economy began to falter in 2017, some thought<\/a> that the diaspora would grow disillusioned, and withdraw their backing. During the recent election campaign, however, there were no signs of a mass defection from the cause, with diaspora Indians continuing to contribute time<\/a> as well as money to ensure Modi\u2019s BJP were returned to office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Author<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professor Ian Hall<\/strong> is Deputy Director, Research at the Griffith Asia Institute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article first appeared at The Conversation<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

IAN HALL | With President Donald Trump as his \u201cwarm up act\u201d, India\u2019s Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally of 50,000 members of the Indian diaspora at Houston\u2019s NRG Stadium\u00a0on September 22. Dubbed Howdy, Modi!, the event kicks off a busy week in the US for Modi, with no fewer than 40 meetings to attend. Apart […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":6436,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[233,246],"tags":[1293,512,625],"class_list":["post-6435","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature-series","category-india-and-south-asia","tag-ian-hall","tag-india","tag-narendra-modi"],"acf":[],"modified_by":"Jill Moriarty","yoast_head":"\nHowdy Modi in Houston: Why India\u2019s Narendra Modi puts so much effort into wooing the diaspora | Griffith Asia Insights<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"IAN HALL | With President Donald Trump as his \u201cwarm up act\u201d, India\u2019s Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally of 50,000 members of the Indian\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Howdy Modi in Houston: Why India\u2019s Narendra Modi puts so much effort into wooing the diaspora | Griffith Asia Insights\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"IAN HALL | With President Donald Trump as his \u201cwarm up act\u201d, India\u2019s Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally of 50,000 members of the Indian\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Griffith Asia Insights\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/griffithasiainstitute\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-09-24T22:30:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-08-06T10:08:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/09\/modi-houston-900x500.jpg?fit=900%2C500&ssl=1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Griffith Asia Institute\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@GAIGriffith\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@GAIGriffith\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Griffith Asia Institute\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Griffith Asia Institute\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8121b8aa336749474cbaca380c03029a\"},\"headline\":\"Howdy Modi in Houston: Why India\u2019s Narendra Modi puts so much effort into wooing the diaspora\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-09-24T22:30:04+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-08-06T10:08:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":949,\"commentCount\":1,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2019\\\/09\\\/modi-houston-900x500.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Ian Hall\",\"India\",\"Narendra Modi\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Feature series\",\"Region | India and South Asia\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\\\/\",\"name\":\"Howdy Modi in Houston: Why India\u2019s Narendra Modi puts so much effort into wooing the diaspora | Griffith Asia Insights\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2019\\\/09\\\/modi-houston-900x500.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-09-24T22:30:04+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-08-06T10:08:00+00:00\",\"description\":\"IAN HALL | With President Donald Trump as his \u201cwarm up act\u201d, India\u2019s Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally of 50,000 members of the Indian\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2019\\\/09\\\/modi-houston-900x500.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2019\\\/09\\\/modi-houston-900x500.jpg\",\"width\":900,\"height\":500,\"caption\":\"On stage in front of around 50,000 in Houston. (Image: Patric Schneider\\\/EPA)\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Howdy Modi in Houston: Why India\u2019s Narendra Modi puts so much effort into wooing the diaspora\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/\",\"name\":\"Griffith Asia Insights\",\"description\":\"Asia Insights is published by the Griffith Asia Institute. It offers latest commentary on Asia-Pacific affairs and aims to inform and foster academic scholarship, public awareness and considered and responsive policy making.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Griffith Asia Institute\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/blogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2023\\\/10\\\/GU_Griffith-Asia-Institute_rgb_red_horizontal.png?fit=2930%2C308&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/blogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2023\\\/10\\\/GU_Griffith-Asia-Institute_rgb_red_horizontal.png?fit=2930%2C308&ssl=1\",\"width\":2930,\"height\":308,\"caption\":\"Griffith Asia Institute\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/griffithasiainstitute\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/GAIGriffith\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8121b8aa336749474cbaca380c03029a\",\"name\":\"Griffith Asia Institute\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f133de65681da3b20ddbc1917f066f458d355d7dfa1f214b10ff4bd135d5ab6c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f133de65681da3b20ddbc1917f066f458d355d7dfa1f214b10ff4bd135d5ab6c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f133de65681da3b20ddbc1917f066f458d355d7dfa1f214b10ff4bd135d5ab6c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Griffith Asia Institute\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/author\\\/gaigriffith-edu-au\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Howdy Modi in Houston: Why India\u2019s Narendra Modi puts so much effort into wooing the diaspora | Griffith Asia Insights","description":"IAN HALL | With President Donald Trump as his \u201cwarm up act\u201d, India\u2019s Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally of 50,000 members of the Indian","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Howdy Modi in Houston: Why India\u2019s Narendra Modi puts so much effort into wooing the diaspora | Griffith Asia Insights","og_description":"IAN HALL | With President Donald Trump as his \u201cwarm up act\u201d, India\u2019s Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally of 50,000 members of the Indian","og_url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\/","og_site_name":"Griffith Asia Insights","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/griffithasiainstitute\/","article_published_time":"2019-09-24T22:30:04+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-08-06T10:08:00+00:00","og_image":[{"width":900,"height":500,"url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/09\/modi-houston-900x500.jpg?fit=900%2C500&ssl=1","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Griffith Asia Institute","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@GAIGriffith","twitter_site":"@GAIGriffith","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Griffith Asia Institute","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\/"},"author":{"name":"Griffith Asia Institute","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#\/schema\/person\/8121b8aa336749474cbaca380c03029a"},"headline":"Howdy Modi in Houston: Why India\u2019s Narendra Modi puts so much effort into wooing the diaspora","datePublished":"2019-09-24T22:30:04+00:00","dateModified":"2023-08-06T10:08:00+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\/"},"wordCount":949,"commentCount":1,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/09\/modi-houston-900x500.jpg","keywords":["Ian Hall","India","Narendra Modi"],"articleSection":["Feature series","Region | India and South Asia"],"inLanguage":"en-AU","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\/","url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\/","name":"Howdy Modi in Houston: Why India\u2019s Narendra Modi puts so much effort into wooing the diaspora | Griffith Asia Insights","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/09\/modi-houston-900x500.jpg","datePublished":"2019-09-24T22:30:04+00:00","dateModified":"2023-08-06T10:08:00+00:00","description":"IAN HALL | With President Donald Trump as his \u201cwarm up act\u201d, India\u2019s Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally of 50,000 members of the Indian","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-AU","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/09\/modi-houston-900x500.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/09\/modi-houston-900x500.jpg","width":900,"height":500,"caption":"On stage in front of around 50,000 in Houston. (Image: Patric Schneider\/EPA)"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/howdy-modi-in-houston-why-indias-narendra-modi-puts-so-much-effort-into-wooing-the-diaspora\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Howdy Modi in Houston: Why India\u2019s Narendra Modi puts so much effort into wooing the diaspora"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#website","url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/","name":"Griffith Asia Insights","description":"Asia Insights is published by the Griffith Asia Institute. It offers latest commentary on Asia-Pacific affairs and aims to inform and foster academic scholarship, public awareness and considered and responsive policy making.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#organization","name":"Griffith Asia Institute","url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/10\/GU_Griffith-Asia-Institute_rgb_red_horizontal.png?fit=2930%2C308&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/10\/GU_Griffith-Asia-Institute_rgb_red_horizontal.png?fit=2930%2C308&ssl=1","width":2930,"height":308,"caption":"Griffith Asia Institute"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/griffithasiainstitute\/","https:\/\/x.com\/GAIGriffith"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#\/schema\/person\/8121b8aa336749474cbaca380c03029a","name":"Griffith Asia Institute","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f133de65681da3b20ddbc1917f066f458d355d7dfa1f214b10ff4bd135d5ab6c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f133de65681da3b20ddbc1917f066f458d355d7dfa1f214b10ff4bd135d5ab6c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f133de65681da3b20ddbc1917f066f458d355d7dfa1f214b10ff4bd135d5ab6c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Griffith Asia Institute"},"url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/author\/gaigriffith-edu-au\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/09\/modi-houston-900x500.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5658,"url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/trump-modi-and-their-religious-right\/","url_meta":{"origin":6435,"position":0},"title":"Trump, Modi and their Religious Right","author":"Griffith Asia Institute","date":"5 April 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"IAN HALL | Much divides Donald J Trump and Narendra Modi, but there are similarities between the two leaders and their politics beyond their shared fondness for Twitter. Both are nationalists with a strong populist streak; both have a tendency to authoritarianism, albeit of different kinds. Both, moreover, enjoy the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Feature series"","block_context":{"text":"Feature series","link":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/category\/publication\/feature-series\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/04\/modi-trump-religion-900x500.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/04\/modi-trump-religion-900x500.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/04\/modi-trump-religion-900x500.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/04\/modi-trump-religion-900x500.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10002,"url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/what-might-australia-learn-from-the-nijjar-affair-and-the-breakdown-in-canada-india-relations\/","url_meta":{"origin":6435,"position":1},"title":"What might Australia learn from the Nijjar affair and the breakdown in Canada\u2013India relations?","author":"Griffith Asia Institute","date":"25 September 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"IAN HALL | Justin Trudeau\u2019s\u00a0announcement\u00a0that Canadian authorities suspect India had some role in the killing of Sikh separatist leader\u00a0Hardeep Singh Nijjar\u00a0outside a temple in Surrey, British Columbia on 18 June was dramatic, but hardly unexpected. The Canadian media began speculating about India\u2019s possible involvement soon after Nijjar\u2019s murder, prompted by\u00a0leaks\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Region | India and South Asia"","block_context":{"text":"Region | India and South Asia","link":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/category\/india-and-south-asia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Activists from the United Hindu Front shout slogans during a protest against Canadian PM Justin Trudeau in New Delhi, India","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/india-canada.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/india-canada.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/india-canada.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/india-canada.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10376,"url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/perspectivesasia-australias-pivot-to-india\/","url_meta":{"origin":6435,"position":2},"title":"Perspectives:Asia | Australia\u2019s pivot to India","author":"Griffith Asia Institute","date":"9 November 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"PERSPECTIVES:ASIA\u00a0|\u00a0ANDREW CHARLTON \u00a0| https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=wyZ57trQKAc India is on the rise to become the next global superpower, with a population expected to be larger than the United States and China combined by 2050. For Australia, India has emerged as a new partner offering hope for a more secure and balanced region. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Event - Perspectives:Asia"","block_context":{"text":"Event - Perspectives:Asia","link":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/category\/events\/perspectives-asia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"(L-R) Simon Elliot, Deputy Director, Collection and Exhibitions at QAGOMA, Dr Andrew Charlton, Member of Parliament for Parramatta and Professor Christoph Nedopil Wang, Director, Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University. (Image: Chlo\u00eb Callistemon)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/Perspectives-banner-9-11-23.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/Perspectives-banner-9-11-23.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/Perspectives-banner-9-11-23.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/Perspectives-banner-9-11-23.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9597,"url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/griffith-asia-institute-hosts-australia-india-japan-trilateral\/","url_meta":{"origin":6435,"position":3},"title":"Griffith Asia Institute hosts Australia-India-Japan Trilateral","author":"Griffith Asia Institute","date":"9 February 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"IAN HALL | On Friday 10 February 2023, GAI will host an Australia-India-Japan Trilateral conference, the latest in a series that started in 2017. These Track II dialogues bring scholars and analysts from universities and think tanks to Brisbane to discuss issues of mutual interest and concern to all three\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Events"","block_context":{"text":"Events","link":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/category\/events\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/trilateral-blog.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/trilateral-blog.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/trilateral-blog.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/trilateral-blog.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5216,"url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wrapping-up-a-remarkable-2018\/","url_meta":{"origin":6435,"position":4},"title":"Wrapping up a remarkable 2018","author":"Griffith Asia Institute","date":"14 December 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"CAITLIN BYRNE\u00a0 | The year began, for me at least, in New Delhi as part of Australian Government delegation to the Raisina Dialogue (India\u2019s answer to Singapore\u2019s well established Shangri-La Dialogue). And now, it\u2019s coming to an end in Suva, where I\u2019ll be taking part in a conference on South\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Feature series"","block_context":{"text":"Feature series","link":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/category\/publication\/feature-series\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/12\/Caitlin-Christmas.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/12\/Caitlin-Christmas.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/12\/Caitlin-Christmas.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/12\/Caitlin-Christmas.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5292,"url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/australia-should-brace-for-a-volatile-year-in-foreign-policy-in-2019\/","url_meta":{"origin":6435,"position":5},"title":"Australia should brace for a volatile year in foreign policy in 2019","author":"Griffith Asia Institute","date":"4 January 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"SUSAN HARRIS RIMMER | By the end of 2019 we should be able to assess how Australia is travelling with the grand plan laid out in the\u00a02017 Foreign Policy White Paper. In this, an election year, I examine the status of our most important international relationships. My verdict: decidedly shaky.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Feature series"","block_context":{"text":"Feature series","link":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/category\/publication\/feature-series\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/01\/foreign-policy-volatility-900x500.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/01\/foreign-policy-volatility-900x500.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/01\/foreign-policy-volatility-900x500.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/01\/foreign-policy-volatility-900x500.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"featured_image_thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/09\/modi-houston-900x500.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6435","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6435"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6435\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6436"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6435"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6435"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6435"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}