President Ranil leaves for New Delhi to attend Modi’s swearing-in ceremony

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has departed for New Delhi a short while ago at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. 

He is set to attend Prime Minister Modi’s swearing-in ceremony, which is scheduled for this evening, according to the President’s Media Division (PMD).

Leaders from seven neighboring countries, including Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, are attending Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony after he secured a historic third term as Prime Minister following India’s general elections.

They will be among 9,000 guests, including foreign dignitaries and prominent figures from around the world, who will be present in Delhi for Mr. Modi’s oath-taking ceremony on Sunday.

The Indian foreign ministry confirmed that leaders from Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and other neighboring countries “have accepted the invitation to attend” Mr. Modi’s swearing-in ceremony.

A video released by the ministry highlighted “the esteemed guests from India’s neighborhood and Indian Ocean region” attending the event. Notable attendees include Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, and Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and Seychelles’ Vice President Ahmed Afif will also be present.

“The attendance of these leaders for Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony for his third consecutive term aligns with India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and ‘SAGAR’ vision,” stated the Indian foreign ministry.

India’s extensive election process, which began in mid-April, concluded with final results announced on Wednesday. Although Prime Minister Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fell short of an outright majority, securing only 240 seats, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won with 293 seats. Mr. Modi was elected as the coalition leader with the support of alliance partners.

The opposition INDIA alliance, led by the Congress party, performed better than expected, doubling its representation to win 232 seats. The leader of the opposition has indicated that they will take “appropriate steps” at the “appropriate time.”

During his speech on Friday, Prime Minister Modi addressed his alliance members, stating: “This alliance of ours reflects India’s spirit in its true sense. We were neither defeated nor are we defeated ... it was an NDA government in the past, still is and will be.”

The oath-taking ceremony will be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace, starting at 6 PM on Sunday. The capital remains on high alert, with section 144 in place to restrict large gatherings. SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) nation leaders have also been invited to the event.

Following the ceremony, a banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu will take place at her residence. Over 2,500 police officers, including the SWAT team and National Security Guard commandos, will provide security throughout the city, with multi-layered security measures around the presidential palace.

Among the special guests are laborers involved in the Central Vista redevelopment project and rat-hole miners who assisted in rescuing 41 trapped construction workers from a tunnel in Uttarakhand last year.

One significant foreign visit is that of Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, amidst strained relations between India and the Maldives following his pro-China election campaign. Upon taking office in 2023, President Muizzu asked India to withdraw its military personnel and aimed to strengthen ties with China.

Meanwhile, Congress party’s main campaigner Rahul Gandhi has called for a parliamentary investigation into what he described as the “biggest stock market scam,” accusing Prime Minister Modi and BJP ministers of misleading retail investors. India’s stock markets saw a volatile reaction, with indexes hitting new highs post-exit polls but then dropping sharply as vote counts were finalized.