According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), CEC Gyanesh Kumar landed in Sweden on Tuesday, kicking off his official duties before taking the helm of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).
A tweet posted by the ECI on X reported that he was received by Indian Ambassador Anurag Bhushan as well as officials from International IDEA.
The CEC will officially assume the chair of International IDEA at the Council of Member States meeting in Stockholm on 3 December 2025.
In his new role, he will preside over all council meetings throughout 2026.
Founded in 1995, International IDEA is an intergovernmental body that strengthens democratic institutions and practices worldwide. With 35 member states and the United States and Japan as observers, it champions inclusive, resilient, and accountable democracies.
“The Chairship marks a significant milestone, reflecting global recognition of the Election Commission of India as one of the world’s most credible and innovative Election Management Bodies (EMBs),” the ECI said in a press release.
India, which helped found International IDEA, has consistently supported the organisation’s governance, enriched democratic debate, and advanced its institutional projects.
The ECI added that “As Chair, CEC will leverage the country’s unmatched experience of conducting the world’s largest elections to shape IIDEA’s global agenda. The collaboration will strengthen knowledge‑sharing, reinforce professional networks among EMBs, and support evidence‑based global electoral reforms.”
Because India is home to the world’s largest electorate—nearly a billion voters—and boasts a transparent, well‑documented electoral system, it plans to share its best practices with EMBs around the globe over the coming year.
It also noted that “Joint programmes, workshops, and research collaborations between ECI’s training institute – India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) and IIDEA will further enhance global readiness to respond to challenges such as disinformation, electoral violence, and erosion of voter trust.”
Since its inception, IIIDEM has trained election officials both within India and abroad. To date, it has signed memoranda of understanding with 28 countries and has trained 3,169 officials from roughly 142 nations.
Under CEC’s leadership, International IDEA and the ECI will collaborate closely to document and share the commission’s technological and administrative innovations, as well as its best practices, on an international scale.
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