PM Modi turns his podcaster Lex Fridman into a honeybee

New Delhi: In his three-hour interview on the Lex Fridman Podcast, released on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi drew an evocative analogy, comparing journalists to bees to highlight their dual societal roles. 

Speaking with the MIT-affiliated AI researcher and podcaster Lex Fridman, Modi offered a detailed perspective on journalism and weaved it into a broader discussion of governance, technology, and his personal evolution.

The topic surfaced when Fridman asked about Modi’s dynamic with the media. Modi responded thoughtfully: “Journalists are like bees—different kinds with different purposes. Some are like the bees that sting to defend the hive. They see a threat or a flaw, they buzz, they strike—it’s their way of questioning, critiquing, keeping us alert. That’s essential for democracy. Then there are the honeybees—they travel far, collect nectar from countless flowers, and craft honey that feeds and sustains. These journalists seek out stories, uncover truths, and nourish society with knowledge.”

Delving deeper, Modi clarified the metaphor’s layers. 

“The stinging bees—think of them as the ones guarding the colony. Their sting might hurt me personally, but if it’s truthful, it’s a service. It forces me to look harder at what I’m doing. The honeybees, though, are the builders—they don’t just point out problems; they create something valuable from what they find.” 

“A society needs both. Without the sting, we’d sleepwalk into mistakes. Without the honey, we’d lack the sweetness of understanding,” he added.

Modi reflected on the state of modern journalism with a mix of pragmatism and hope. “Today, the rush for attention can blur the lines,” he said. 

“I might speak for an hour, but a single line becomes the story—twisted, maybe, into a sting that wasn’t there. I don’t grudge that if it’s innocent. But when it’s agenda-driven, it’s not a bee’s sting—it’s a wasp’s, meant only to harm.” 

He urged journalists to preserve integrity: “Let the sting come from facts, not fabrication. Let the honey be rich, not artificial.”

Fridman, visibly moved, responded directly to the analogy. “I love that,” he said. “In my work, I’ll aim to be a honeybee—gathering the best ideas, the deepest insights, and offering them to the world in a way that nourishes.” 

Modi smiled and nodded, adding, “That’s a noble aim. The world needs more honeybees like that.”

Fridman, who has hosted figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump, called the exchange “one of the most powerful conversations” of his career, praising Modi’s ability to merge “microscopic detail with macroscopic vision.”

The episode, Modi’s debut on a Western podcast, follows his earlier appearance with Indian entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath and is available in multiple languages, including English and Hindi.