Abhinandan Kumar
The intersection of populism and foreign policy has garnered increasing scholarly attention. However, its manifestation through international summits remains underexplored. The 2023 G20 summit held in India under the leadership of Narendra Modi is an intriguing case of populist performance on the world stage. A qualitative approach is used to assess this case and finds that Modi's populist performance during the G20 presidency was articulated through three modalities: textual, visual, and participatory. These modalities functioned to construct his image as a global statesman while reinforcing his popular appeal at home. This paper contributes to bridging the gap between two strands of populism literature: one that views populism as a strategic means of acquiring and consolidating power, and another that emphasises its performative and stylistic dimensions. The paper enriches the literature on populism in Indian foreign policy with a case study of Modi's conduct during the G20 presidency.