June 9th 2024.
New Delhi was abuzz with excitement as leaders from various countries arrived to attend the swearing-in ceremony of India's Prime Minister-designate, Narendra Modi. Among them were Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, who landed in Delhi on Sunday morning. This was Muizzu's first visit to India since he took office as the president of Maldives in November last year.
Muizzu and Jugnauth were joined by leaders from seven other countries in India's neighborhood and the Indian Ocean region to witness the historic moment at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. "President @MMuizzu of Maldives arrives to a warm welcome in New Delhi to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers," announced External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on social media platform 'X'. He also added, "India and Maldives are maritime partners and close neighbors."
The list of foreign guests also included Bangladesh President Sheikh Hasina and Vice-President of Seychelles Ahmed Afif, who had already arrived in Delhi. Along with Muizzu and Jugnauth, the other leaders attending the ceremony were Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, and Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay.
The invitation extended to Muizzu by India was seen as a significant move, given the strained ties between the two countries in recent times. In his statement, Muizzu expressed his eagerness to work with Modi to strengthen the relationship between the two nations, which he believed was moving in a positive direction. However, the ties between India and Maldives had been tense since Muizzu, known for his pro-China stance, took office. In fact, he had even demanded the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from Maldives, which was eventually replaced by civilians earlier this month.
"The visit of these leaders to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his third consecutive term reflects the highest priority accorded by India to its 'Neighbourhood First' policy and 'SAGAR' vision," stated the Ministry of External Affairs. SAGAR, or Security and Growth for All in the Region, is a broad policy framework under which India has been cooperating with countries in the Indian Ocean region.
Apart from attending the swearing-in ceremony, the foreign leaders were also invited to a banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu. It was a tradition started by Modi, where leaders from SAARC countries attended his first swearing-in ceremony after he won the elections in 2014, and leaders from BIMSTEC countries attended his second swearing-in ceremony in 2019.
Despite not securing a majority on its own in the recent Lok Sabha elections, Modi's party-led alliance still managed to secure 293 seats out of 543, way above the required majority mark of 272. This reiterates the strong support and trust that the people of India have in Modi's leadership. The swearing-in ceremony was a momentous occasion for all, and the presence of leaders from neighboring countries only added to the significance of the event.
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