Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared on a three-hour ‘iconic’ interview hosted by AI researcher and podcaster Lex Fridman.

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During the podcast, PM Modi opened up about a number of topics, including Pakistan, the 2002 Gujarat riots, India-China relations, the bond with US President Donald Trump, the Ukraine war, and AI.

Key takeaways from interview

India and Pakistan

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PM Modi discussed the India and Pakistan relationship. He also called out the neighbouring nation for state-sponsored terrorism and failed peace efforts.

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When asked about the conflict between the two nations and whether he saw a path to peace and friendship, PM Modi answered by recalling the painful and bloody partition of India in 1947. He said that while India accepted the partition, Pakistan did not choose to peacefully coexist.

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“Time and again they decided to be at odds with India. They have waged a proxy war against us,” he said.

He further said Pakistan is “an epicenter of turmoil, not just for India, but for the world”.

“I believe even the people of Pakistan long for peace. Because even they must be weary of living in strife and unrest,” he said.

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2002 Gujarat riots

Speaking about Gujarat riots, PM Modi described how a “tense and volatile” situation surrounded India and the world around the time.

Modi said, “The perception that these were the biggest riots ever is actually misinformation. If you review the data from before 2002, you'll see that Gujarat faced frequent riots, curfews were constantly being imposed somewhere.” He added, “Before 2002, Gujarat witnessed over 250 significant riots.”

The prime minister said that those responsible for the riots have faced justice from the courts, adding that following the incident, there hasn’t been a single major riot in the state.

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China and Xi Jinping

In the podcast, PM Modi talked about India’s relationship with its neighbour China. He said, “It is true that there have been ongoing border disputes between us. And in 2020, the incidents along the border created significant tensions between our countries,” he added. “However, after my recent meeting with President Xi, we have seen a return to normalcy at the border. We are now working to restore conditions to how they were before 2020.” 

“Slowly but surely, trust, enthusiasm, and energy will return.”

Ukraine conflict

Speaking on the Ukraine conflict, PM Modi said, “The resolution will only come when both Ukraine and Russia come to the negotiating table. Ukraine may hold countless discussions with their allies, but it will bear no fruit. Discussions must include both parties instead.”

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PM Modi on AI

PM Modi stressed that AI development in the world would remain incomplete without India.

“No matter what the world does with AI, it will remain incomplete without India,” he said. “I believe AI development is fundamentally a collaboration. Everyone involved supports one another through shared experiences and learning,” he said.

“India isn't just developing theoretical AI models, it is actively working on and bringing to life AI-driven applications for very specific use cases. Without genuine human intelligence, AI can't thrive or progress sustainably. And that real intelligence exists abundantly in India's youth and talent pool. And, I believe that's our greatest asset.”

(With inputs from agencies)