New Delhi, July 20 : Tech billionaire Elon Musk has congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on becoming the most followed world leader on social media platform X.

"Congratulations PM Narendra Modi on being the most followed world leader!," the Tesla CEO said on Friday in a post on X.

Prime Minister Modi achieved the milestone on July 14. Making the announcement on X, he posted: "A hundred million on X! I'm happy to be on this vibrant medium and cherish the discussion, debate, insights, people's blessings, constructive criticism, and more. Looking forward to an equally engaging time in the future as well."

In the realm of social media followings among Indian politicians, Prime Minister Modi clearly leads the pack. For instance, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi boasts 26.4 million followers, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal commands 27.5 million, and Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav has amassed 19.9 million followers.

Meanwhile, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has a significant following of 7.4 million, followed by RJD's Lalu Prasad Yadav with 6.3 million, Tejashwi Yadav with 5.2 million, and NCP Chief Sharad Pawar with 2.9 million followers. Put simply, PM Modi's 100 million followers on X outnumber the combined followers of all leaders within the INDIA bloc, which total 95 million.

Another intriguing aspect of this achievement is that Prime Minister Modi's total followers on X exceed the population of Canada by 2.5 times, the population of the UK by 1.4 times, the population of Germany by 1.2 times, the population of Italy by 2.5 times, the population of Australia by 3.7 times, and the population of New Zealand by 18 times.

Prime Minister Modi outpaces other global leaders in social media following, surpassing US President Joe Biden with 38.1 million followers, Sheikh Mohammed, the ruler of Dubai, with 11.2 million, Pope Francis with 18.5 million, Giorgia Meloni with 2.4 million, Justin Trudeau with 6.5 million, Andres Manuel with 10.9 million and Recep Tayyip Erdogan with 21.5 million.

Prime Minister Modi's immense popularity on social media has drawn the attention of world leaders eager to engage with him, knowing that such interactions significantly enhance their own follower counts, engagements, views, and reposts. This trend has been evident recently in Italy and Austria.

Notably, Prime Minister Modi's follower count exceeds that of several prominent global athletes and sports figures, including Virat Kohli with 64.1 million followers, Brazilian footballer Neymar Jr with 63.6 million, and American basketball player LeBron James with 52.9 million. He also surpasses celebrities like Taylor Swift with 95.3 million followers, Lady Gaga with 83.1 million, and Kim Kardashian with 75.2 million.

Over the past three years alone, Prime Minister Modi's presence on X has expanded remarkably by approximately 30 million users. His influence extends across other platforms like YouTube, where he boasts nearly 25 million subscribers, and Instagram, where his follower count exceeds 91 million.

Since his platform debut in 2009, Prime Minister Modi has utilised it as a tool for meaningful engagement. Known for his active and personable approach, he regularly interacts with ordinary citizens, responds to messages, and notably, has never blocked anyone. Prime Minister Modi maintains a strictly organic presence on social media, eschewing paid promotions and artificial engagement tactics.

Through a mix of compelling and thought-provoking posts on X, the Prime Minister has captivated millions worldwide. His ascent in the digital realm highlights his impactful presence and underscores his ability to connect with a diverse and dynamic audience.

/IANS