Top dignitaries from India's neighboring countries and the Indian Ocean region, including Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, attended the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Council of Ministers on Sunday.
The ceremony, held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, also saw the attendance of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, and Seychelles Vice-President Ahmed Afif.
Modi was sworn in for his third consecutive term, following the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance's victory in the Lok Sabha elections, where they secured 293 out of 543 seats.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the presence of these leaders at such a significant event underscores India's strong ties of friendship and cooperation with its neighbors and the Indian Ocean region.
After the ceremony, Modi met with the visiting leaders at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The MEA reported that the leaders congratulated Modi on his historic third term. In response, Modi expressed gratitude for their attendance and reiterated India's commitment to its 'Neighbourhood First' policy and 'SAGAR Vision'.
Modi emphasized that in his third term, India would continue to strive for regional peace, progress, and prosperity, while also working towards the goal of Vikshit Bharat by 2047. He called for stronger people-to-people connections and enhanced regional connectivity and pledged to amplify the voice of the Global South on the international stage.
In a post on X, Modi expressed his appreciation for the foreign dignitaries' presence, affirming India's commitment to working closely with its partners for human progress. Under the broader policy framework of SAGAR, India has been collaborating with Indian Ocean region countries to ensure security and growth for all.
The visiting leaders also attended a banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. President Murmu, in her welcome address, remarked that India's democratic process was not only a source of pride for its citizens but also an inspiration globally.
Alongside Modi, senior BJP leaders Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, and S. Jaishankar were sworn in as cabinet ministers, highlighting Modi's focus on continuity and experience, as these leaders held key positions in his previous term.
The foreign dignitaries were seated in the front row at the ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan forecourt.
While Hasina and Afif arrived in Delhi on Saturday, Muizzu, Prachanda, Wickremesinghe, Jugnauth, and Tobgay reached on Sunday. Leaders from SAARC countries had attended Modi's first swearing-in ceremony in 2014 after BJP's significant electoral victory. In 2019, leaders of BIMSTEC countries were present at Modi's second swearing-in.
Among the foreign leaders, the invitation to Muizzu was particularly noteworthy, given the recent strains in India-Maldives relations. This marked Muizzu's first visit to India since becoming the Maldivian president on November 17 last year.
Relations between India and the Maldives have been tense since Muizzu, known for his pro-China stance, assumed office. Shortly after his swearing-in, he demanded the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from the Maldives. Earlier this month, these military personnel were replaced by civilians.
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