Invitations sent to leaders of Nepal, Bhutan and Mauritius

New Delhi: Narendra Modi is set to take oath as the Prime Minister for the third consecutive time on Sunday after his allies chose him as their leader at a key meeting in Delhi yesterday.

Top South Asian leaders have been invited to the oath ceremony, reflecting the government’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy. Bangladesh and Sri Lankan leaders have already confirmed their presence at Sunday’s (June 9) event at 6 pm after speaking to PM Modi over the phone.

The media division of Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Office said he has accepted the invitation to attend Sunday’s event and also congratulated PM Modi for his electoral victory.

Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, was among the first foreign leaders to congratulate PM Modi, reflecting the warmth and personal rapport between the two leaders. She will arrive in Delhi, a day before the event, according to Bangladesh media.

Formal invitations have also been sent to Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, his Bhutan counterpart Tshering Tobgay and Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauth, reports suggest.

In 2014, the leaders of the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries attended PM Modi’s swearing-in ceremony and in 2019, the leaders of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries attended his oath ceremony.