When a delegation led by Nepal’s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) chief Rabi Lamichhane walked into the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on June 2 under the “Know BJP” initiative, it was about far more than a routine political interaction. It reflected a growing international curiosity about the political organisation behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s electoral success and the rise of the BJP as the world’s largest political party.
What began as a party outreach programme has gradually evolved into an important instrument of political diplomacy, allowing international stakeholders to engage directly with India’s democratic ecosystem. At a time when many political parties across the world function behind closed doors or remain heavily centred around individuals and family structures, the BJP’s willingness to open its organisational processes, membership systems, grassroots networks and decision-making mechanisms to foreign observers has made the initiative distinctive. In the process, it is helping the world better understand the democratic foundations behind India’s political transformation while emerging as a significant pillar of the country’s growing soft power and global influence.
From foundation day outreach to global political engagement
The “Know BJP” initiative was launched on April 6, 2022, coinciding with the BJP’s 42nd Foundation Day. Conceived as a structured outreach programme, it sought to familiarise foreign political leaders, diplomats and heads of missions with the BJP’s organisational structure, ideological foundations and governance model.
The programme emerged at a significant moment. As the world was emerging from the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, governments and political institutions globally were reassessing governance models, citizen engagement mechanisms and organisational resilience. Against this backdrop, the BJP sought to present its own political journey and democratic experience to an international audience.
The initiative is administered by the BJP’s Foreign Affairs Department (Videsh Vibhag) under the leadership of Dr. Vijay Chauthaiwale. According to party functionaries, the department accommodates both requests from foreign delegations seeking interaction with the BJP and invitations extended by the party itself.
Met and interacted with the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Rt. Hon Christopher Luxon, in New Delhi as part of the 'Know BJP' initiative.
We exchanged thoughtful ideas on fortifying party-to-party relations and deepening our mutual understanding. Our conversation also centered… pic.twitter.com/8haSSuRISm
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) March 18, 2025
The first interaction under the programme was held on April 6, 2022, at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi. It was led by then BJP National President and Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and attended by heads of missions from 13 countries, including representatives of the European Union. The second phase followed on May 16, 2022, and the third on June 4, 2022, establishing the format that would subsequently define the initiative.
These interactions typically included presentations on the BJP’s ideological evolution, its organisational journey since 1951, its rise to become India’s dominant political force and its emphasis on Antyodaya, the upliftment of the most disadvantaged sections of society. Sessions were followed by discussions and question-and-answer interactions with senior party leaders. While the programme was designed around the BJP, it simultaneously became a platform for explaining the functioning of India’s democratic system, electoral culture and governance structures to foreign audiences.
Exporting India’s democratic experience
Unlike traditional diplomatic engagements conducted exclusively through governments, the “Know BJP” initiative operates in the realm of party-to-party diplomacy. This distinction is important because political parties often serve as key channels of influence, understanding and long-term relationship-building across countries.
The initiative highlights aspects of India’s democratic experience that are often difficult to capture through official diplomatic briefings alone. Foreign delegates are introduced to the organisational architecture that enables a political party to function across a country of continental scale and extraordinary social diversity.
Discussions frequently focus on grassroots political engagement, booth-level organisation, membership structures, candidate selection processes and citizen participation. Through these interactions, delegates gain insights into how electoral mobilisation occurs within a democracy that regularly witnesses the participation of hundreds of millions of voters.
Met President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa of Mongolia in New Delhi today under the 'Know BJP' initiative.
I briefed him on our party’s ideology, organisational structure, and various people-centric initiatives that have shaped India’s governance model. We exchanged valuable insights to… pic.twitter.com/iWsB8AI82e
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) October 14, 2025
The BJP’s presentations also emphasise governance models developed under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including welfare delivery systems, public outreach mechanisms and development-oriented governance approaches. By linking political organisation with governance outcomes, the programme offers a broader understanding of how democratic mandates are translated into policy implementation.
This has given India a unique opportunity to project democratic competence rather than merely democratic credentials. Instead of presenting democracy as an abstract ideal, the initiative showcases the practical mechanics of managing democratic participation at an unprecedented scale.
In many ways, the programme reflects the growing confidence of India’s political institutions in engaging international audiences directly. It also demonstrates a willingness to subject political processes to external scrutiny and discussion, an important element of democratic soft power.
The 2024 elections and the internationalisation of political diplomacy
The initiative acquired greater international visibility during India’s 2024 Lok Sabha elections, widely regarded as one of the largest democratic exercises in human history.
On April 14, 2024, the BJP invited foreign diplomats stationed in India as well as representatives from 25 overseas political parties to observe aspects of its electoral campaign. Among those invited were representatives of the Conservative Party and Labour Party of the United Kingdom, Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Social Democratic Party (SPD), as well as Bangladesh’s Awami League. The outreach represented an important evolution in the programme. Rather than limiting interactions to presentations at party headquarters, the initiative sought to expose international political actors to the realities of electoral mobilisation in India.
On May 1, 2024, representatives from 18 overseas political parties spanning 10 countries met BJP President J.P. Nadda at the party headquarters in New Delhi. During the interaction, delegates were briefed on the BJP’s history, ideology, organisational structure and election campaign strategies. The discussions also covered the achievements of the Modi government over the previous decade and the party’s manifesto for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, with particular emphasis on addressing the aspirations of vulnerable sections of society.
Delhi: BJP National President Nitin Nabin hosts Heads of Missions from 12 countries as part of party’s 'KNOW BJP' initiative. pic.twitter.com/rXwjeAgKUS
— News Arena India (@NewsArenaIndia) May 26, 2026
The meeting was attended by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Dr. Vijay Chauthaiwale. Their presence highlighted the convergence of political outreach and broader diplomatic engagement. Delegations participating in the programme came from countries including Nepal, Australia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Israel, Uganda, Tanzania, Sri Lanka and Mauritius. During their stay, they also had the opportunity to interact with India’s External Affairs Minister.
The significance of these engagements extended beyond electoral observation. They positioned India’s democratic processes as a subject of international interest and study, thereby reinforcing the country’s soft-power appeal as a functioning, large-scale democracy.
Taking Democracy to the Ground: From Gujarat to Bihar
One of the most distinctive aspects of the “Know BJP” initiative has been its effort to move beyond conference rooms and provide foreign observers with direct exposure to grassroots political engagement. The programme increasingly incorporated field visits aimed at helping diplomats understand the practical dimensions of election campaigning and public participation.
According to Dr. Vijay Chauthaiwale, similar delegations of foreign diplomats had previously visited Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan during assembly elections to observe BJP campaign practices and election management. This approach reached a new stage on November 2–3, 2025, when a delegation of foreign diplomats undertook a two-day visit to Bihar, a state in the midst of election season. The visiting diplomats represented countries including Japan, Indonesia, Australia, the United Kingdom, Bhutan and South Africa.
As part of the 'Know BJP' initiative, BJP National President Shri @JPNadda met with the Prime Minister of Fiji, Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka, in New Delhi today.
Glimpses ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/SGqw4CtFNW
— BJP ArunachalPradesh (@BJP4Arunachal) August 24, 2025
The objective, according to the BJP’s Foreign Affairs Department, was to familiarise participants with the party’s organisational strength, outreach mechanisms and grassroots engagement practices. Equally important was providing diplomats with a first-hand understanding of electoral participation at the local level. Such visits effectively transformed election campaigns into opportunities for democratic observation and learning. Rather than simply describing voter mobilisation, booth management and grassroots outreach, the initiative enabled foreign participants to witness these processes directly.
This experiential approach contributes significantly to India’s democratic soft power because it allows international observers to engage with democracy as a lived political reality rather than a theoretical concept. For many visiting diplomats and political representatives, these interactions provide a unique window into the functioning of a political system that conducts elections on a scale unmatched anywhere in the world.
A new phase under Nitin Nabin
The initiative entered a new phase following the transition in the BJP’s national leadership. On May 26, 2026, BJP National President Nitin Nabin held his first formal interaction with foreign diplomats under the “Know BJP” programme. Representatives from 12 countries participated in the meeting, which was also attended by Dr Vijay Chauthaiwale.
According to Chauthaiwale, diplomats expressed considerable interest in understanding the BJP’s future direction. Discussions focused on the party’s ideology, organisational structure, future plans and its vision of “Viksit Bharat 2047.” The interaction demonstrated continuity with the outreach efforts initiated under J.P. Nadda while also signalling the programme’s institutionalisation within the BJP’s engagement framework.
Just days later, on June 2, 2026, the BJP hosted a delegation from Nepal’s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) under the “Know BJP” initiative. The delegation was led by RSP Chairman Rabi Lamichhane and met Nitin Nabin at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi. Welcoming the delegation, Nabin highlighted the historic ties between India and Nepal based on shared civilisational heritage, cultural linkages and people-to-people relations. He described such interactions as important mechanisms for strengthening democratic dialogue and party-to-party engagement.
Thank you, Shri @NiitinNabin ji, for the warm hospitality extended to me and the RSP delegation at the BJP headquarters today.
It was an insightful experience to engage with the BJP leadership, including General Secretary Shri Arun Singh Ji, Foreign Department Head Dr. Vijay… https://t.co/kqId0PyhJu
— Rabi Lamichhane (@hamrorabi) June 2, 2026
The RSP delegation sought detailed information regarding the BJP’s membership process, candidate selection mechanisms and systems for identifying and engaging grassroots workers. Nabin explained how the party’s organisational strength is sustained through continuous public outreach, booth-level engagement and citizen participation. The discussions also explored the growing role of Generation Z in politics and its potential impact on democratic participation and future leadership.
The meeting was attended by BJP National General Secretary Arun Singh, Member of Parliament Sanjay Jaiswal, Member of Parliament Bansuri Swaraj and Dr Vijay Chauthaiwale. The delegation also visited the BJP Media Centre and Central Library before participating in a lunch interaction attended by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Manoj Tiwari, Praveen Khandelwal, Bansuri Swaraj, Harsh Malhotra and Ramvir Singh Bidhuri.
The programme’s growing significance was also reflected in the BJP’s engagement with a six-member delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on January 12, 2026. Led by Sun Haiyan, Vice Minister of the International Department of the CPC, and accompanied by Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong, the delegation held discussions with BJP leaders on strengthening party-to-party communication. BJP General Secretary Arun Singh led the BJP delegation, while Dr. Vijay Chauthaiwale described the discussions as focused on enhancing dialogue and interaction between the two parties.
Opening the world’s largest democracy to global engagement
The BJP’s rise as world’s largest political party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s repeated electoral victories have generated intense global interest, yet much of the international discourse, particularly in parts of the West, has often struggled to fully understand the organisational depth, grassroots mobilisation and democratic participation that underpin this success. Through the “Know BJP” initiative, foreign diplomats, political leaders and party representatives are gaining first-hand exposure to the processes that drive the world’s largest democracy, from booth-level organisation and citizen engagement to governance and welfare delivery.
Had a meaningful interaction with Mission Heads from 12 countries under the 'KNOW BJP' initiative at the BJP National Headquarters.
Pleased to welcome representatives from Brazil, Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mauritius, New Zealand, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Sri… pic.twitter.com/AXKVtaOAqe
— Nitin Nabin (@NitinNabin) May 26, 2026
By inviting diplomats, political parties and international observers to study its organisational practices, electoral engagement and governance approaches, the initiative has transformed political outreach into a form of democratic diplomacy. Its significance lies not merely in promoting the BJP but in projecting India as a country confident enough to open its political processes to international engagement. The programme presents India’s democratic system as a living, evolving and participatory model worthy of global attention.
As foreign delegations continue to engage with the world’s largest political party, the initiative is contributing to a broader narrative, one in which India’s democratic experience becomes an increasingly important pillar of its international influence.
