Got multiple information channels, playing devil’s advocate: PM Modi explains decision-making to Fridman

New Delhi, March 16 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a marathon conversation with American podcaster Lex Fridman, gave an insight into his decision-making process and also explained the yardsticks that he applies while arriving at a conclusion.

PM Modi said that his information channels are numerous and are very active, something which leaves his officials ‘overwhelmed’. He also said that he likes to play devil’s advocate when confronted with contrasting details as it helps him analyse the issue from multiple angles.

The revelations about PM Modi’s mantra for decision-making, particularly in tough circumstances, followed Lex Fridman’s praise of him as a decisive leader and also queries about what the Prime Minister does when faced with a high-stakes choice, with no clear precedence.

PM Modi also said that his long experience of travelling across the country, being a learner in every situation and decision-making without any baggage helps him arrive on a decision with ease.

“There are many factors to my decision-making. First, I’m perhaps the only politician in India who has stayed overnight in around 85 to 90 per cent of the districts across the country. This was before my current role. I used to travel extensively. I learned a lot from those experiences,” he said.

He further stated: “Secondly, from a governance perspective, I carry no baggage of any kind. I don’t carry any baggage that weighs me down or forces me to act a certain way. Thirdly, I have a simple yardstick for decisions. My country first. I always question if what I’m doing harms my nation in any way. “

PM Modi also said that he doesn’t rely on one perspective and rather likes to collect insights from various sources.

“I’m very well-connected in my administration. My officials know this well and probably feel overwhelmed by it, by the fact that my information channels are numerous and are very active. Because of that, I receive lots of insights from various sources. So when someone comes to brief me, that’s not my only source of information. I always have additional perspectives available to me,” PM Modi said.

He further shared that when he comes across any unfamiliar issue, he practices a student-like approach.

“Can you clarify this? How does it work? Then what happens next and how? Whenever I have different information, I deliberately play devil’s advocate and ask challenging questions. I thoroughly analyse the issue from multiple angles, hoping that careful evaluation will yield something valuable,” he said.

PM Modi also told the US-based podcaster that he is quick at decision-making, even when faced with ambiguous situations.

“I had Nobel Prize winners advising me, giving countless economic examples from around the world. Renowned economists constantly bombarded me with suggestions. Political parties pressurised me relentlessly, urging me to spend huge amounts of money, but I did what was best for the country, considering its unique conditions,” he said.

“Everyone pressured me to empty the treasury, print more currency and flood money everywhere, but I decided that this was not the right economic route to follow. And so instead, the path I chose, after carefully listening to experts, understanding their opinions without opposing them and combining their advice with my own country’s situation and my personal experiences, created a system that worked effectively. As a result, when the whole world suffered from severe inflation immediately after Covid, India did not,” he added.

–IANS

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