According to IRNA, the Indian media covered live swearing-in ceremony of Modi as the Prime Minister, the most important decision-making position in India.
President Draupadi Murmu administered the oath to PM Modi at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi, in an event attended by thousands of dignitaries, including leaders of seven regional countries, film stars and industrialists.
“Took oath as Prime Minister at the ceremony earlier this evening. I look forward to serving 140 crore Indians and working with the Council of Ministers to take India to new heights of progress”, Modi wrote in a post on X social network.
Several senior cabinet ministers of the previous government, including those with defense, interior, finance, foreign and industry portfolios also took oath along with several newcomers.
Modi is the only politician after India's independence leader Jawaharlal Nehru to serve as prime minister for three consecutive terms. His right-wing Hindu nationalist party BJP won 240 seats but fell short of majority, unlike the previous two elections in 2019 and 2014, to form the government of its own.
The BJP, this time came to power with the support of 14 regional parties that were part of the National Democratic Alliance. This year’s election result is considered a major defeat for Modi as pre-opinion polls had predicted that his party would win even more seats than in 2019.
Unemployment, high prices, low incomes and infringements on religious freedoms had alienated voters.
The prime minister during his election campaigns was accused of delivering hate speeches to woo Hindu voters, in violation of the code of conduct of India’s Elections Commission, which Modi later denied despite the opposition filing complaints with the electoral body.
Analysts say Modi's new term may be fraught with challenges to build consensus on political and contentious issues in the face of diverse interests from regional parties and a strong opposition in parliament.
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