I'm Dan Kurtz-Valen, and this is the Foreign Affairs Interview.
I think it is becoming increasingly clear that Mr Modi is not the miracle worker,
transformative figure in the economy that people had hoped.
In June, Narendra Modi was sworn in for a third consecutive term as India's prime minister.
But in a surprise outcome, his party, the BJP, failed to win a majority.
Modi emerged seriously weakened,
and India's path forward looks far less certain and far more interesting than seemed plausible not long ago.
Pratap Banu Mitha is one of India's wisest political observers,
a great political theorist and writer,
as well as a fierce critic and occasional target of Modi and his policies.
My colleague Kanish Thirur spoke with him this week about what the election means for Indian democracy and where the country goes from here.
Pratap, it's a pleasure to speak with you.
It's great to be here.
Thanks.
You spoke with us last time in March that was before the elections had kicked off the national elections in India.
And at that time,
it seemed that their outcome was going to be a sort of foregone conclusion that Modi would win a third term,
consolidate his rule,
and that some of the concerning trends that many observers had isolated about India would just continue.
indefinitely.