ON A GREYmorning in north-west London earlier this month an enthusiastic group gathered outside a community centre to fly the Indian flag—plus another one featuring the lotus flower, symbol of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Some wore saffron scarves, a colour associated with Hinduism. After staging a car rally through the neighbourhood, they reconvened outside a Hindu temple. A British ConservativeMPaddressed the crowd, praising the government of Narendra Modi. The gathering, organised by the Overseas Friends of theBJP, the party’s diaspora arm, got little attention in the local media. But footage of it soon appeared on the websites of many Indian outlets.
This article appeared in the International section of the print edition under the headline “Narendra Modi’s secret weapon”
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Sweden is banning OnlyFans content as the lines around sex work blur
It is meekly welcoming the new sheriff’s vigilante justice
The answer matters more than you think
Donald Trump prefers deals to regime change
After decades of rising secularism, Christianity is holding its ground—and gaining among the young
