treet art is more than expression. Often, it is commentary, resistance, and reflection. In cities across the world, walls and artists’ canvases have become public forums, telling stories that stretch beyond borders. With a spray of paint or the swish of a pencil, a caricature or a single word can encapsulate shifting global tides and complex geopolitics through small, striking images that appear suddenly and speak volumes. Think of Banksy, whose anonymous works—which distill complex truths into stark, thought provoking images with reach far beyond their walls.
Yesterday, we were walking through the cobbled streets of Plaka—Athens’ oldest neighborhood, alive with art, music, colorful souvenirs, and the scent of roasted honey sesame peanuts—when something unexpected caught my eye. Nestled among portraits and playful sketches by a street artist was a caricature of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Modi. In the middle of Athens. I paused.
He was depicted with a broad, glowing smile in a forward-leaning pose, caught mid-stride as if in motion, and giving a bold thumbs up beneath the word “BRICS!” in capital letters. The tone suggested a confident leader, cheerful and assertive, energetically marching India forward. The emphasis on the “I” in “India” was possibly highlighting India’s pivotal role or its growing prominence within the group. The artist seemed to be acknowledging India’s dynamism in global politics and as a central player in the bloc.
Athens has a long tradition of political art and satire. Its walls often speak louder than its headlines, serving as public canvases for commentary, critique, and cultural reflection. This wasn’t a simple mockery or parody. It felt, rather, like a satirical yet admiring nod to Modi’s growing geopolitical presence—particularly in relation to BRICS, the bloc of emerging economies that is increasingly asserting itself as a counterweight to Western–dominated institutions.
BRICS—originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—has recently expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Though internal tensions persist, especially between members like China and India, the very fact that such diverse countries are aligning signals a desire to shift the center of global influence. BRICS is no longer just a diplomatic acronym—it is becoming a platform for reimagining power, trade, and international cooperation outside the grip of the U.S. dollar and Western-led institutions.
Modi has made a point of amplifying India’s voice on the global stage—whether through the G20 presidency, BRICS negotiations, or strategic partnerships with countries as varied as the United States, Russia, China, and numerous African nations. In fact, India is a major supplier of affordable generic medicines to Africa, particularly in the fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. Over the years, Indian pharmaceutical companies have become central to public health efforts across the continent, with some even setting up manufacturing plants in countries like Ethiopia, Nigeria, and South Africa. Under the Modi administration, this relationship has evolved into a more deliberate strategy of health diplomacy. The government has actively promoted India as the “pharmacy of the world,” integrating pharmaceutical partnerships into broader South-South cooperation frameworks. Initiatives like Vaccine Maitri during the Covid pandemic, along with regulatory collaborations and lines of credit for joint ventures, have further cemented India’s role not just as a supplier, but as a long–term health partner to Africa.
As BRICS expands and redefines global alignments, artists and thinkers across Europe are taking note. Modi, in this drawing, stands as a symbol of India’s assertiveness in a shifting world order.
Greece’s street art often speaks to global issues as much as local ones. The tradition of caricature here runs deep—bold, political, philosophical, sometimes irreverent, but rarely indifferent. Nearby drawings featuring Nicolas Sarkozy, Angela Merkel, and Nikos Christodoulides suggest that the artist is engaged in a broader commentary on global leadership. In this context, the depiction of Modi here signals that India under his leadership is more than just a regional power. It highlights India’s shifting role in the international order—toward a Global South that is no longer content to linger on the margins or be treated as an afterthought, but one that is stepping with intention into the center of global discourse. And India is an important part of the global conversation.
Further, with the word “India!” emphatically declared beside him, Modi is rendered as more than a political figure. He stands as a symbol of a rising nation. One that is at the table. One that holds influence and has a voice in shaping the global agenda. In that sense, the drawing seems to declare, “India is here. Modi is here. Pay attention. This matters.”
India has been crafting a narrative of ascent. It has been telling the world that its time has come. That it is Vishwaguru, a world teacher. That it is the spiritual and cultural heir of an ancient civilization poised to lead anew. That narrative—while it may have been carefully curated by Modi’s government—carries more weight when others begin to echo it.
And that is what is remarkable about this street art. No one in India commissioned it. No embassy or consulate staged it. It appeared uninvited, on the streets of a distant European city. And yet, there it is: a playful signal that the world is noticing India’s moves.
Street art often captures the collective unconscious—those things we sense before we fully articulate them. When a leader from the Global South shows up in a Greek caricature alongside Western and other international figures, it means the message is landing. It doesn’t necessarily mean the world agrees with India’s self-image. But it does mean the world is paying attention, taking notes, reacting, and adjusting its gaze at India’s presence in new and serious ways.
And that, in itself, is power.
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Street art illustrates another side of soft power in Athens
Photo courtesy of Karen Dipnarine–Saroop.
May 1, 2025
More than simply expression, street art is often social commentary, resistance and reflection. Striking street art depicting Indian PM Narendra Modi shows that sometimes, it is also a sort of soft power bellwether, writes Karen Dipnarien–Saroop.
S
treet art is more than expression. Often, it is commentary, resistance, and reflection. In cities across the world, walls and artists’ canvases have become public forums, telling stories that stretch beyond borders. With a spray of paint or the swish of a pencil, a caricature or a single word can encapsulate shifting global tides and complex geopolitics through small, striking images that appear suddenly and speak volumes. Think of Banksy, whose anonymous works—which distill complex truths into stark, thought provoking images with reach far beyond their walls.
Yesterday, we were walking through the cobbled streets of Plaka—Athens’ oldest neighborhood, alive with art, music, colorful souvenirs, and the scent of roasted honey sesame peanuts—when something unexpected caught my eye. Nestled among portraits and playful sketches by a street artist was a caricature of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Modi. In the middle of Athens. I paused.
He was depicted with a broad, glowing smile in a forward-leaning pose, caught mid-stride as if in motion, and giving a bold thumbs up beneath the word “BRICS!” in capital letters. The tone suggested a confident leader, cheerful and assertive, energetically marching India forward. The emphasis on the “I” in “India” was possibly highlighting India’s pivotal role or its growing prominence within the group. The artist seemed to be acknowledging India’s dynamism in global politics and as a central player in the bloc.
Athens has a long tradition of political art and satire. Its walls often speak louder than its headlines, serving as public canvases for commentary, critique, and cultural reflection. This wasn’t a simple mockery or parody. It felt, rather, like a satirical yet admiring nod to Modi’s growing geopolitical presence—particularly in relation to BRICS, the bloc of emerging economies that is increasingly asserting itself as a counterweight to Western–dominated institutions.
BRICS—originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—has recently expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Though internal tensions persist, especially between members like China and India, the very fact that such diverse countries are aligning signals a desire to shift the center of global influence. BRICS is no longer just a diplomatic acronym—it is becoming a platform for reimagining power, trade, and international cooperation outside the grip of the U.S. dollar and Western-led institutions.
Modi has made a point of amplifying India’s voice on the global stage—whether through the G20 presidency, BRICS negotiations, or strategic partnerships with countries as varied as the United States, Russia, China, and numerous African nations. In fact, India is a major supplier of affordable generic medicines to Africa, particularly in the fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. Over the years, Indian pharmaceutical companies have become central to public health efforts across the continent, with some even setting up manufacturing plants in countries like Ethiopia, Nigeria, and South Africa. Under the Modi administration, this relationship has evolved into a more deliberate strategy of health diplomacy. The government has actively promoted India as the “pharmacy of the world,” integrating pharmaceutical partnerships into broader South-South cooperation frameworks. Initiatives like Vaccine Maitri during the Covid pandemic, along with regulatory collaborations and lines of credit for joint ventures, have further cemented India’s role not just as a supplier, but as a long–term health partner to Africa.
As BRICS expands and redefines global alignments, artists and thinkers across Europe are taking note. Modi, in this drawing, stands as a symbol of India’s assertiveness in a shifting world order.
Greece’s street art often speaks to global issues as much as local ones. The tradition of caricature here runs deep—bold, political, philosophical, sometimes irreverent, but rarely indifferent. Nearby drawings featuring Nicolas Sarkozy, Angela Merkel, and Nikos Christodoulides suggest that the artist is engaged in a broader commentary on global leadership. In this context, the depiction of Modi here signals that India under his leadership is more than just a regional power. It highlights India’s shifting role in the international order—toward a Global South that is no longer content to linger on the margins or be treated as an afterthought, but one that is stepping with intention into the center of global discourse. And India is an important part of the global conversation.
Further, with the word “India!” emphatically declared beside him, Modi is rendered as more than a political figure. He stands as a symbol of a rising nation. One that is at the table. One that holds influence and has a voice in shaping the global agenda. In that sense, the drawing seems to declare, “India is here. Modi is here. Pay attention. This matters.”
India has been crafting a narrative of ascent. It has been telling the world that its time has come. That it is Vishwaguru, a world teacher. That it is the spiritual and cultural heir of an ancient civilization poised to lead anew. That narrative—while it may have been carefully curated by Modi’s government—carries more weight when others begin to echo it.
And that is what is remarkable about this street art. No one in India commissioned it. No embassy or consulate staged it. It appeared uninvited, on the streets of a distant European city. And yet, there it is: a playful signal that the world is noticing India’s moves.
Street art often captures the collective unconscious—those things we sense before we fully articulate them. When a leader from the Global South shows up in a Greek caricature alongside Western and other international figures, it means the message is landing. It doesn’t necessarily mean the world agrees with India’s self-image. But it does mean the world is paying attention, taking notes, reacting, and adjusting its gaze at India’s presence in new and serious ways.
And that, in itself, is power.
