The swearing-in ceremony for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term, scheduled for Saturday, June 8, in New Delhi, will not feature the high-profile guest list seen in previous terms. Unlike past occasions where heads of governments from SAARC member countries were invited, this year’s ceremony will not extend such invitations.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zehra Baloch confirmed that Pakistan has not received any invitation from New Delhi. Similarly, Indian External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, when contacted, stated he was unaware of any invitations being sent to SAARC leaders for the event.
Diplomatic sources suggest that the arrangements for the ceremony are being expedited, with the administration having only three days to prepare following the announcement of the election results. Typically, a week to ten days is allotted for such preparations, but the BJP leadership swiftly moved to announce the ceremony schedule after the NDA ruling alliance confirmed Modi as their candidate for Prime Minister, minimizing the time for any opposition maneuvering.
