Narendra Modi Sworn in for Third Term as India’s Prime Minister in Grand Ceremony

Narendra Modi was inaugurated as India’s prime minister for a third term at a grand ceremony at the presidential palace in Delhi. The leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took his oath, pledging to “do right to all manner of people without affection or ill-will.”

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won the general election with 293 seats, a much narrower victory than exit polls had predicted. The election also marked a resurgence of India’s opposition, which secured 234 seats.

Thousands of guests attended the inauguration at Delhi’s presidential palace, including leaders from Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives, though representatives from Pakistan and China were notably absent. Security was tight, with Delhi declared a no-fly zone and over 2,500 police officers deployed around the venue.

Sworn in by President Draupadi Murmu, Mr. Modi vowed to uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India, govern with “true faith and allegiance to the constitution,” and act “without fear or favour.” His new cabinet ministers were also sworn in during the ceremony.

At 73, Mr. Modi becomes only the second Indian leader to win a third consecutive term, following Jawaharlal Nehru, the country’s first prime minister. Despite exit polls predicting an outright victory for the BJP, the party lost its parliamentary majority in the general election. The NDA relied on key allies, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), to surpass the 272-seat threshold required to form the government.

On Friday, the elected MPs selected Mr. Modi as the leader of the Lok Sabha (the lower house of parliament), leader of the BJP parliamentary party, and leader of the NDA. It remains unclear what concessions his allies may have negotiated for their support, though Indian media reports suggest several are seeking key ministerial posts.

The opposition INDIA alliance, led by the Congress party, has framed the election as a mandate against Mr. Modi’s government. However, Mr. Modi countered this narrative on Friday, stating, “Opposition tried to paint 2024 Lok Sabha results as a loss for us. But we didn’t lose, we never lost, we will never lose.”

Expressing gratitude to voters, Mr. Modi promised to “do everything” to eradicate corruption and poverty, emphasizing that “empowering the poor and middle class is our priority.”

During the election campaign, Mr. Modi and the BJP faced accusations of using hate speech, targeting the Muslim minority, and jailing opposition figures. In response, Mr. Modi reaffirmed the NDA’s commitment to “sarva panth sambhava” (religious equality).

The INDIA alliance has vowed to fulfill its duty in parliament by holding the government accountable and protecting the constitution.