On Thursday, July 10, 2025, the Government of India distanced itself from remarks made by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who ridiculed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent five-nation tour, referring to the countries as having a “population of 10,000” and mocking the awards he received. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a strongly worded statement condemning the comments made by a “high state authority regarding India’s relations with friendly nations from the Global South.”

The MEA stated, “These remarks are irresponsible and regrettable and do not befit the state authority. The Government of India disassociates itself from such unwarranted comments that undermine India’s ties with friendly countries.”

Sources indicated that the MEA’s statement was in response to comments made by Mr. Mann during a press conference on Thursday, July 10, 2025, in Chandigarh, where he discussed Mr. Modi’s foreign trips, particularly his nine-day tour to Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia.

Mr. Mann, who has a background in comedy and acting, expressed uncertainty about the countries visited by the Prime Minister, humorously referring to them with made-up names like “Magnesia, Galvesia, Tarvesia.”

He remarked, “[Mr. Modi] does not want to stay in a country with a population of 140 crores [India]. The countries he is visiting have a population of just 10,000, and he receives their highest awards, but in India, 10,000 people gather just to watch a JCB [digger and bulldozer vehicle] at work,” he added with laughter. While the comment about populations was intended as a joke, it was inaccurate—the populations of the countries Mr. Modi visited ranged from 1.37 million in Trinidad and Tobago to 211 million in Brazil.

The MEA noted that since 2014, when Mr. Modi first took office, he has received over 25 state and civilian awards from various nations he has visited. During his most recent trip abroad from July 2 to July 10, he was honored with the Offic