Sonia Gandhi Says PM Modi Avoids Eye Contact During Meetings in Her New Memoir
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has written in her new memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, that Prime Minister Narendra Modi tends to avoid eye contact when they meet. She describes their interactions as limited to formal greetings and brief exchanges, adding that their differences are primarily ideological rather than personal. The book was published by HarperCollins India and went on sale on November 10, 2026.
Written by
Banashree Dutta

Sonia Gandhi Says PM Modi Avoids Eye Contact During Meetings in Her New Memoir
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has made a notable observation about her interactions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in her newly published memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love. In the book, she writes that Modi tends to avoid making eye contact when the two meet.
Gandhi describes her interactions with the Prime Minister as limited and largely formal. According to her account, their conversations generally involve brief exchanges and formal greetings rather than extended personal discussions.
The memoir also highlights the nature of the differences between the two leaders. Gandhi says that their disagreements are primarily ideological and concern their respective visions for India, rather than being personal in nature.
The book, published by HarperCollins India, went on sale on November 10, 2026.
Sonia Gandhi's Observation About PM Modi
In her memoir, Sonia Gandhi reflects on the limited interactions she has had with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
She writes that Modi tends to avoid eye contact during their meetings. Her description offers a personal observation about the way the two leaders interact when they come face to face.
Gandhi also explains that there has been little meaningful conversation between them beyond formal greetings and brief exchanges.
Her remarks provide a glimpse into the nature of their interactions outside the larger political debates that frequently bring the Congress and the BJP into confrontation.
Interactions Largely Limited to Formal Exchanges
According to Gandhi's account, her meetings with the Prime Minister have generally been brief.
She describes their communication as largely formal, with little opportunity for extended conversations. The interactions, as presented in the memoir, do not suggest a close personal relationship between the two political figures.
The observation about avoiding eye contact is part of Gandhi's personal account of these encounters.
The memoir does not present their relationship simply as a personal disagreement. Instead, Gandhi places greater emphasis on the ideological differences that separate their political positions.
Gandhi Says Differences Are Ideological, Not Personal
An important aspect of Gandhi's account is her distinction between personal relations and political disagreements.
She says that the differences between herself and Prime Minister Modi are primarily ideological. These differences relate to their respective visions for India's future and the direction in which the country should move.
This distinction is significant because political disagreements between the Congress and the BJP have often been intense.
Gandhi's description suggests that she views the differences as rooted in competing political ideas and approaches to governance rather than personal hostility.
Memoir Explores Personal and Political Experiences
Belonging: A Journey of Love offers Sonia Gandhi's personal reflections and experiences. The book brings attention to different aspects of her life and public journey.
Her comments about Prime Minister Modi have attracted particular interest because of the political significance of their interactions.
As two prominent figures associated with India's leading political parties, their relationship is often viewed through the wider context of Congress-BJP political competition.
Gandhi's remarks provide her own perspective on the limited interactions between the two leaders and the nature of their ideological differences.
Book Published by HarperCollins India
The memoir was published by HarperCollins India and became available for sale on November 10, 2026.
Its release has brought renewed attention to Sonia Gandhi's personal reflections, political experiences and observations about India's political leadership.
Her comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi are among the notable points discussed in connection with the book.
Overall, Sonia Gandhi's memoir presents her personal account of interactions with the Prime Minister, including her observation that he tends to avoid eye contact during meetings. She also emphasises that their differences are ideological rather than personal, describing their communication as largely limited to formal greetings and brief exchanges.
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