Introduction

2024 is the year of elections. According to one estimate just under 50% of all the people on earth live in countries where by December 31st there will have been a national vote. In terms of population size there are none bigger than the six week exercise that got underway last Friday. The world’s biggest democracy - India - has gone to the polls and prime minister Narendra Modi is hoping – perhaps expecting – to win a third term. He first came to power in 2014 and since then fears about “democratic backsliding” have been growing. So how concerned about that should we be? Step inside The Briefing Room and together we’ll find out.

Guests:

Yogita Limaye, BBC's South Asia Correspondent Rohan Venkat, editor of “India Inside Out” newsletter Louise Tillin, Professor of Politics in the India Institute at King’s College London Chietigj Bajpaee, senior research fellow for South Asia at Chatham House.

Production team: Rosamund Jones and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineers: Hal Haines and Sarah Hockley