Narendra Modi To Take Oath As Prime Minister Of India TODAY; Delhi Transformed In Fortress With Multi-Layered Security, No Fly Zones

New Delhi: Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi is set to be sworn in for a third consecutive term as the head of a coalition government on Sunday. This follows two terms where his party, the BJP, held a majority independently. At 73, Modi will match the record of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, who won the general elections in 1952, 1957, and 1962.

Leaders from India’s neighbourhood and the Indian Ocean Region are among the dignitaries and special invitees expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the prime minister and his council of ministers at the Rashtrapati Bhavan at 7.15 PM.

Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe, President of the Maldives Mohamed Muizzu, Vice-President of the Seychelles Ahmed Afif, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay have accepted invitations to the ceremony.

“The visit of the leaders to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his third consecutive term is in keeping with the highest priority accorded by India to its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and ‘SAGAR’ vision,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.

The leaders of the regional group SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) attended Modi’s first swearing-in as prime minister after a massive electoral victory for the BJP in 2014.

No-Fly Zone In Delhi

The Delice have decided to declare a no-fly zone after receiving information that “criminals and terrorists inimical to India may pose a threat to the safety of the general public, dignitaries, and vital installations by the use of such platforms.”

Traffic Restrictions In Delhi

“The traffic police will impose restrictions and diversions on certain roads in central Delhi during the swearing-in ceremony. Multiple meetings of senior police officers have taken place in the police headquarters and in the New Delhi district to discuss the security and traffic arrangement plans. Nearly 3,000 security and traffic personnel will remain deployed in and around the venue,” said an officer while speaking to Indian media outlets about the security in place in the city.

“Around 2,500 police personnel, including five companies of paramilitary and Delhi Armed Police (DAP) jawans, have been planned to be deployed around the venue,” added the officer.

(With inputs from agencies)