Modi's Swearing-In Ceremony: Who Are The Special Invitees On June 9th?

Narendra Modi of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is scheduled to be sworn in as India's Prime Minister for a third consecutive term at the Centre, on Sunday, June 9, at 6 pm.

On Friday, June 7, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) proposed him as the bloc's Parliamentary leader, thereby endorsing him as the next Prime Minister and paving the way for his third swearing-in ceremony, as per media reports.

Photo Credit: Narendra Modi - Instagram

Invitations have been extended to several world leaders and individuals from diverse walks of life, reflecting Modi's plan to honour the contributions of India's marginalized communities.

List Of The Special Invitees On June 9th

• Up to 8,000 people are expected to attend Modi's oath-taking ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• The attendees will include prominent figures from diverse fields such as lawyers, doctors, artists, cultural performers, and influencers.
• 'Viksit Bharat ambassadors', including Railway employees working on Vande Bharat and Metro trains, and beneficiaries of Central government schemes, will also be present, as per NDTV.
• Special guests will include tribal women, sanitation workers, transgender individuals, and laborers involved in the Central Vista Project.
• Rat-hole miners who aided in rescuing 41 trapped construction workers in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi last year have been invited.
• The guest list also comprises National Office Bearers and NEC members of the BJP, outgoing Parliamentarians, district presidents, MPs, MLAs, MLCs, and Lok Sabha in-charges, according to NDTV.
• Around 50 distinguished religious leaders from various faiths have been invited.
• Participants of 'Mann Ki Baat' recognized by Modi for their contributions, along with Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri awardees, will also attend the ceremony.

World leaders invited to Modi's swearing-in ceremony

The invitation list for world leaders by Modi highlights his government's 'Neighbourhood First' policy. The presence of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Sri Lanka's President Ranil Wickremesinghe for the June 9 event has been confirmed. Other foreign dignitaries reportedly invited include Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Vice-President of Seychelles Ahmed Afif, and Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauth, as reported by Hindustan Times.

A notable invitee is Maldives president Mohamed Muizzu, who has reportedly accepted the invitation, marking his first visit to India since assuming the presidency last November. This development signifies an improvement in relations between New Delhi and Male after tensions earlier this year.

2014 and 2019 invitees

Since 2014, the BJP and NDA have been led by Narendra Modi, following their ousting of Congress from power. For his first swearing-in ceremony, invites were extended to heads of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, surprising many with the inclusion of foreign leaders in a traditionally domestic event, as reported by Business Standards.

In 2019, after securing a historic mandate, the BJP and NDA again included foreign leaders on the guest list. Modi, along with 57 Ministers, took oath at Rashtrapati Bhavan in May 2019, with leaders from BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, in attendance. Invitations were also extended to leaders from the Kyrgyz Republic and Mauritius. Bangladesh's Sheikh Hasina was unable to attend due to her foreign visit, as reported by Business standard.

Other notable invitees for the 2019 ceremony included the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director, chief ministers of all states, and prominent actors such as Shah Rukh Khan, Sanjay Bhansali, Karan Johar, Kangana Ranaut, Rajinikanth, and Kamal Haasan.

Sports personalities like PT Usha, Saina Nehwal, Harbhajan Singh, Rahul Dravid, and top industrialists including Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, and Ratan Tata were also among those invited. Moreover, invitations were extended to the kin of BJP workers allegedly killed in political violence in West Bengal for Modi's second swearing-in ceremony.