NEW YORK: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that social media has become a powerful instrument of democracy and it can be used as a "weapon" for good governance.

During a question-answer session after addressing the Bloomberg Global Business Forum here, Prime Minister Modi said he was active on social media.

Responding to a question on social media, Modi told Michael Bloomberg that he was amused as the question was raised by a media baron.

"Social media has become a powerful instrument of democracy. It's encouraging to see established media take up initiatives to counter fake news ," the Prime Minister said.

Modi said social media can be used in a positive manner for good governance.

"I have ordered action based on incidents that catch my eye," he said, citing an incident where he was able to instruct authorities to save lives in a flood-hit area in Gujarat.

When asked how as the head of a government he would like to use it, Modi said he was in favour of using the social media as a "good weapon" for good governance and he himself is trying in that direction.

Modi also said that people should first check when they receive a news on social media before forwarding it to others.

"The fashion of forwarding needs to be solved with technology," he added.

