Prince Rahim Aga Khan V Meets India’s Top Leadership During First Visit as Imam

Prince Rahim Aga Khan V, the 50th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslim community, is visiting India for the first time since taking over the spiritual leadership of the community, holding meetings with senior Indian leaders and reviewing areas of cooperation through the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).

Prince Rahim Aga Khan V arrived in New Delhi on September 9 for a visit scheduled through September 15 following an invitation from Vice President C P Radhakrishnan. His itinerary includes meetings with President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

On Thursday, he met Radhakrishnan at the Vice President's Enclave. Their discussions covered possibilities for expanding India-AKDN cooperation, particularly in education and sports. They also took note of the network's work involving water and sanitation, women's self-help groups and community development.

The two leaders stressed the importance of tackling radicalisation and agreed that dialogue and engagement are essential for advancing peace, stability and prosperity.

Earlier in the day, Prince Rahim Aga Khan V held talks with Modi on strengthening collaboration with the AKDN in healthcare, agriculture and rural development. Youth development and women's empowerment were also among the areas discussed.

Modi recalled the contribution of Prince Rahim Aga Khan V's father, the late Aga Khan IV, to development initiatives and expressed interest in further strengthening the partnership.

Prince Rahim Aga Khan V assumed the position of the 50th hereditary Imam in February 2025, after the death of his father, Prince Karim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan IV, the 49th Imam. The hereditary succession means the spiritual leadership passed from father to son within the Aga Khan family, continuing a line of Imams that traces its lineage through the Ismaili tradition.

The current visit is significant as Prince Rahim Aga Khan V's first trip to India in his capacity as Imam. He is also scheduled to visit Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Hyderabad, where the AKDN has undertaken various development and community initiatives.

The network operates across Asia and Africa, working in fields such as education, healthcare, rural development, water and sanitation and economic empowerment.