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Foreign dignitaries including Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe are set to grace the swearing-in ceremony of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his third consecutive term, agencies reported.
Modi, anticipated to take the oath on June 8 at 8 pm, following the BJP-led NDA's victory with 293 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, is set to host a distinguished gathering. Contrary to exit poll predictions, the Opposition INDIA bloc clinched 234 seats.
Leaders from Bhutan, Nepal, and Mauritius are also expected to receive invitations for the ceremony, echoing the diplomatic outreach that marked Modi's previous inaugurations.
Following the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, India extended invitations to leaders from Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) nations, a regional coalition comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The ceremony attracted over 8,000 guests, including esteemed dignitaries.
Recalling Modi's first term inauguration in 2014, all SAARC leaders, including then-Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, graced the occasion.
In a recent development, PM-elect Modi personally reached out to President Wickremesinghe, extending an invitation which was promptly accepted, as confirmed by the Sri Lankan President's office.
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"During the conversation, Prime Minister @narendramodi invited President Wickremesinghe to his swearing-in ceremony, which President @RW_UNP accepted," the Sri Lankan President's office said.
During the conversation, Prime Minister @narendramodi invited President Wickremesinghe to his swearing-in ceremony, which President @RW_UNP accepted. (2/2)#DiplomacyLK #LKA #PMD @MFA_SriLanka
— President's Media Division of Sri Lanka - PMD (@PMDNewsGov) June 5, 2024
Furthermore, Modi had a phone conversation with Bangladesh Prime Minister Hasina, reaffirming their commitment to the shared goals of 'Viksit Bharat 2047' and 'Smart Bangladesh 2041', reported news agency ANI.
Prime Minister Hasina, an early well-wisher of Modi's electoral success, accepted the invite to attend his swearing-in ceremony.
Anticipated attendees also include Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, and Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Jugnauth. Formal invitations to these leaders are slated to be sent today (Thursday).
In 2019, along with Narendra Modi, 24 Union ministers took the oath, followed by the swearing-in of twenty-four ministers of state (MoS) and nine MoS (independent charge) at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Given the BJP's shortfall in achieving a solo majority, Modi's third-term Cabinet is expected to embrace greater representation from coalition partners, marking a shift in the political landscape.
