In a significant development for India's global democratic standing, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has been elected to lead a premier international body dedicated to strengthening electoral processes worldwide.
India Assumes Leadership of Global Democracy Body
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar officially took over as the Chair of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) for the year 2026 on Wednesday, December 3, 2025. The handover occurred during a council meeting in Stockholm, Sweden, where the organisation's Member States formally elected India to the leadership position.
In his acceptance address, CEC Kumar outlined an ambitious vision for his tenure. He emphasized that India's chairmanship would be "decisive, ambitious and action oriented," serving as a model to demonstrate how democracies can foster a united, peaceful, and sustainable world.
Sharing the Legacy of the "Mother of Democracy"
Kumar positioned India's role as one of sharing both modern institutional knowledge and ancient civilizational values. "India is the mother of democracy and today, it is also the largest democracy in the world," he stated. He expressed his intent to share not just the operational learnings from running the world's largest and most diverse democracy but also the democratic principles deeply rooted in India's heritage.
Highlighting the monumental scale of Indian elections, Kumar noted that with over 900 million registered electors, the Election Commission of India transforms into the planet's largest single organization during general elections, mobilizing more than 1 million personnel.
Concrete Plans for Global Collaboration
International IDEA, in an official statement, announced a key collaborative initiative with India. The organisation will partner with the Election Commission of India's India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM). The partnership will focus on funding projects aimed at future-proofing democracy and enhancing the independence and professionalism of electoral management bodies across member nations.
"As the chair, I assure you that during my tenure, with the cooperation among all democratic nations, we will work in an exemplary manner to further strengthen and enhance transparency in democracy and democratic processes across the world," Kumar pledged to the international community.
India's association with International IDEA dates back to 1995, making it a long-standing member of this intergovernmental coalition. The institute currently comprises 35 member countries that are democracies, along with two observer nations, serving as a crucial platform for dialogue and capacity-building in the democratic sphere.
This leadership role underscores India's growing influence in shaping global norms on democratic governance and electoral integrity. It provides a powerful podium for the country to showcase its electoral expertise and advocate for resilient democratic institutions worldwide.
