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Narendra Modi begins her third term as Prime Minister of India after her election victory.
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Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party won 240 seats and formed a coalition for a parliamentary majority.
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The swearing-in took place at Rashtrapati Bhavan with regional leaders and high security in New Delhi.
Narendra Modi has been sworn in for a third term as India’s prime minister after winning elections but losing a parliamentary majority on Friday.
Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 240 seats, well short of the 272 needed for a majority and far short of the record 303 it won in the 2019 elections.
Modi, 73, was forced to form a coalition government as leader of the BJP-led National Democratic Coalition, which together controls 293 seats. The coalition consists of a number of smaller regional parties.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the Indian President in New Delhi. It was attended by thousands of guests, including the heads of neighboring countries Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Two of India’s richest industrialists, Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani were present, as was Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan.
Tight security was in force in New Delhi, with more than 2,500 police officers deployed around the site and a no-fly zone declared.
Analysts predict that the reliance on coalition parties is likely to curb some of the authoritarian tendencies of Modi’s previous government, forcing the prime minister to engage in consensus politics.
Gautam Nairan assistant professor of public policy at Harvard, said Modi’s nationalist message no longer resonated with voters.
“These elections, even if Prime Minister Modi retains power, show the strength of Indian democracy,” Rossow said.
Here are some of the best photos from India’s historic weekend.
Thousands of people gathered in front of the presidential palace
Modi took the oath of office as the country’s prime minister
Modi signs after taking the oath of office
Modi bowed to the crowd after being sworn in
Fans helped the spectators cool down in the Delhi heat
Foreign leaders of neighboring countries came to congratulate Modi
Modi’s fans took pictures of the Prime Minister to celebrate his third term in office
Celebrations took place across India this past weekend
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