Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe are set to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi for his third consecutive term as Prime Minister, according to reports from agencies.
Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck will also grace the event. Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth is expected to receive an invitation.
Narendra Modi is scheduled to take the oath on June 8 at 8 pm, following the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) victory with 293 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. The opposition INDIA bloc secured 234 seats.
After the 2019 polls, India invited leaders from BIMSTEC countries, comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, to the swearing-in ceremony.
In 2014, during Narendra Modi’s first term, all SAARC leaders, including then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, attended the ceremony.
PM-elect Narendra Modi personally called Ranil Wickremesinghe to extend the invitation, as confirmed by the Sri Lankan President’s office. Narendra Modi also conversed with Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, reaffirming their commitment to joint initiatives such as ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ and ‘Smart Bangladesh 2041’.
Sheikh Hasina, one of the first foreign leaders to congratulate Modi on his victory, accepted the invitation.
Formal invitations to the foreign leaders are expected to be dispatched on Thursday.
During the 2019 ceremony, 24 Union ministers and several Ministers of State (MoS) were sworn in. The upcoming Modi 3.0 Cabinet is anticipated to feature increased representation from allied parties, given the BJP’s failure to secure a majority independently.
