DHAKA: India’s new prime minister Narendra Modi has permitted Twitter unprecedented access to his administration in a drive to put social media at the heart of government.

The US internet company said, reports The Straits Times.

Modi deployed an army of supporters over Twitter and Facebook during his successful election campaign.

He has put both the microblogging site and Facebook at the centre of his government’s media and research strategies since taking office a month ago and has asked ministers and lawmakers to follow suit.

The 63-year-old’s focus on social media presents opportunities for the companies, which see India as one of their top growth markets and are sending senior executives to forge relationships with the government.

With 5 million followers, Modi is the fourth most followed world leader on Twitter. He has 18.8 million Facebook likes.

BDST: 1951 HRS, JULY 02, 2014