American podcaster and MIT researcher Lex Fridman has announced an upcoming episode featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Taking to X, Fridman shared his excitement, saying, “I will be doing a podcast with Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, at the end of February. I’ve never been to India, so I’m excited to finally visit and experience many facets of its vibrant, historic culture and its amazing people as fully as I can.”
This marks a significant milestone for Fridman, who has become renowned for his in-depth conversations on topics ranging from artificial intelligence to geopolitics. A research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Fridman specialises in human-centred AI, with a focus on autonomous vehicles and human-robot collaboration. His podcast, which has featured a diverse array of high-profile guests.
Over the years, Fridman’s show has hosted influential figures like US president-elect President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and Jordan Peterson, among others. Episodes have covered a range of subjects, including war, politics, artificial intelligence, and even alien life, drawing millions of listeners worldwide.
For Prime Minister Modi, this podcast appearance will add a new dimension to his engagement with global audiences. While Modi is known for his radio programme Mann Ki Baat and frequent television interviews, his foray into the podcasting world began only recently. In his first podcast, hosted by Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath, Modi candidly discussed his early life, political journey, and governance philosophy.
The two-hour conversation revealed personal anecdotes, including his experiences as a young man washing clothes for his family and his reflections on leadership during crises like the 2002 Godhra incident. Modi also spoke about his vision of “minimum government, maximum governance”.
