Narendra Modi, leader of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has been sworn in as Prime Minister of India for the third time in a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the Indian President.
Modi’s National Democratic Alliance, led by the BJP, secured victory in the general elections with 293 seats, a narrower margin than exit polls had predicted.
The Indian opposition experienced a resurgence, capturing 234 seats.
Thousands attended his inauguration at the Presidential Palace in Delhi, including leaders from neighbouring Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives—but not from Pakistan or China. In Delhi, declared a no-fly zone, heightened security was enforced with over 2,500 police officers deployed around the venue.
Modi pledged to uphold Indian sovereignty and integrity, and to govern with true faith and allegiance to the constitution: “Without fear or favour, I shall act for all people in accordance with the constitution and the law.”
During the ceremony, President Draupadi Murmu also administered the oath to the members of Mr. Modi’s new cabinet.
At 73, Modi is only the second Indian leader to win a third consecutive term, following the country’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
Photo: facebook/BJP4India