Narendra Modi officially began his third term as India’s prime minister following a victorious general election, which ran from April 9 to June 1. Modi took the oath of office at a ceremony held at the Presidential Palace, Rashtrapati Bhavan, amidst scorching 42-degree heat.
The event also saw the swearing-in of 72 ministers from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition government, led by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The ceremony was attended by the leaders of Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives, along with thousands of Indian citizens. Security was tight, with over 2,500 police officers deployed to ensure the safety of the attendees.