London — In a historic event today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the oath of office for his third consecutive term, heading a new coalition government. The oath-taking ceremony, held on the expansive lawns of Rashtrapati Bhavan, saw Modi, aged 73, along with 72 ministers being sworn in. This marks Modi’s first term as the leader of a coalition government since his initial appointment in 2014, following a significant victory that ended a decade of United Progressive Alliance (UPA) rule.

The new government comprises 30 Cabinet Ministers, five Ministers with independent charge, and 36 Ministers of State. The distribution of portfolios will be disclosed in the coming days.

President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Prime Minister Modi. Following him, senior leaders Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah took their oaths, with Nitin Gadkari being the fourth to be sworn in. Other prominent figures such as JP Nadda, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Nirmala Sitharaman, S. Jaishankar, and Manohar Lal Khattar also took their oaths.

From the BJP’s allies, HD Kumaraswamy of the Janata Dal (Secular) and Lalan Singh of Janata Dal (United) were among the first to be sworn in. The ceremony also saw representation from the northeastern states, with Sarbananda Sonowal and Kiren Rijiju taking their oaths.

Significant figures in the new council of ministers include Virendra Kumar, an eight-time MP from Madhya Pradesh, and Jyotiraditya Scindia, whose induction solidifies his role in the BJP after his departure from Congress four years ago. Hardeep Singh Puri, recognized for his diplomatic efforts during oil crises, and Chirag Paswan, the leader of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), were also sworn in, highlighting the diverse representation in Modi’s new government.

The ceremony witnessed enthusiastic support from the followers of the ministers, who cheered as each leader took the stage. Notable international guests included Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, underscoring the significance of the event on the global stage.

With the weather office predicting a high of 42 degrees Celsius in the national capital, the ceremony proceeded smoothly, marking a significant moment in India’s political landscape as Modi embarks on his third term, following in the footsteps of Jawaharlal Nehru as the only other Prime Minister to achieve this milestone.