India’s Modi sworn in as prime minister for historic third term

Modi, 73, secured a third term with the support of 14 regional parties in his BJP-led alliance, unlike in the last two terms when his party won an outright majority

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Pedestrians stand along a road next to a billboard displaying an image of India’s leader Narendra Modi on the day of his oath-taking ceremony, in New Delhi. Photo: AFP

Published: 10:12pm, 9 Jun 2024

Narendra Modi was sworn in as India’s prime minister on Sunday for a record-equalling third term, but as a restive coalition’s head after a shock poll setback that will test his ability to ensure policy certainty in the world’s most populous nation.

President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Modi at a grand ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the president’s palace in New Delhi, attended by thousands of dignitaries, including the leaders of seven regional countries, Bollywood stars and industrialists.

Modi, who started as a publicist of the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological parent of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is only the second person after independence leader Jawaharlal Nehru to serve a third straight term as prime minister.

Modi, 73, secured the third term in elections that concluded on June 1 with the support of 14 regional parties in his BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), unlike in the previous two terms when his party won an outright majority.

People gather ahead of the oath-taking ceremony of India’s prime minister at the presidential palace Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. Photo: AFP

The outcome is seen as a big setback to the popular leader as surveys and exit polls had predicted BJP would secure even more seats than in 2019.