According to sources, 8000 guests from a variety of professions will attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony, along with seven leaders from the neighborhood and Indian Ocean region, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Indian Prime Minister-designate, Narendra Modi, extended an invitation to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other dignitaries to attend the high-profile function at Rashtrapati Bhaban tomorrow evening. She arrived in New Delhi, the Indian capital, today.
The prime minister and her entourage touched down at the VVIP airport in New Delhi at 11:51 a.m. local time aboard a special Biman Bangladesh Airlines jet.
Following the recent Indian Lok Sabha election, which saw the BJP-led NDA alliance obtain the majority of seats, Modi is set to assume office as prime minister for a record third term. Since Jawaharlal Nehru, the Congress icon, had served three terms as prime minister, he will be the first.
According to a statement released by the President’s Secretariat of India today, the prime minister and other members of the Union Council of Ministers will receive the oath of office and secrecy from President Droupadi Murmu tomorrow at 7:15 p.m.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) released a statement on its website inviting the following leaders to attend the ceremony: President Ranil Wickremesinghe of Sri Lanka; President Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives; Vice-President Ahmed Afif of the Seychelles; Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth of Mauritius; Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda of Nepal; and Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay of Bhutan.
However, according to media sources, New Delhi, the capital of India, has increased security in anticipation of the event. The Hindustan Times said today that Rashtrapati Bhawan has deployed a multi-layered security plan that includes drones, snipers, NSG commandos, and five companies of paramilitary soldiers.
A public advisory declared a No-Fly Zone over Delhi, prohibiting the use of various aerial platforms to prevent threats from criminal or terrorist activities during the ceremony. This restriction will be in effect from June 9 to 10, with violators facing penalties under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, it said.
Additionally, extra security is in place for visiting dignitaries, including unique hotel room procedures.
The leaders will attend a banquet at Rashtrapati Bhavan that evening, hosted by President Droupadi Murmu, in addition to taking part in the swearing-in event.
After attending the oath-taking ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhaban at 7:20 p.m. on Sunday, Sheikh Hasina will have a tete-a-tete (one-on-one meeting) with Narendra Modi, according to official sources here today.
The premier of Bangladesh is expected to attend a number of events in New Delhi on Sunday as well, according to reports. She will depart Monday at 5 p.m. (local time) from New Delhi for Dhaka.
