Embassy of India
Belgrade

Press Release

Live Telecast of swearing-in ceremony of Indian PM-designate Mr. Narendra Modi
at 1400 hrs. on Monday 26th May 2014

1. Embassy of India, Belgrade will arrange live coverage of swearing-in ceremony of Indian PM-designate Hon'ble Mr. Narendra Modi at the premises of Embassy of India at Djordja Radojlovica 7A, Dedinje, 11040, Belgrade, Serbia at 1400 hrs. on Monday 26th May 2014.

2. Mr. Narendra Modi will take oath at the majestic forecourt of the historic Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi in the presence of over 3,000 invitees. The new Cabinet Ministers will also be sworn-in. For the first time, SAARC Heads of State and Government including Pakistan Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Nawaz Sharif, Sri Lanka President H.E. Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, Bangladesh Premier H.E. Ms. Sheikh Hasina, Afghanistan President H.E. Mr. Hamid Karzai, Bhutan Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Tshering Tobgay, Nepal Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Sushil Koirala and Maldivian President H.E. Mr. Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom have been invited to Mr. Modi’s swearing-in as Prime Minister on May 26. BJP leader Mr. Arun Jaitley said that it was Mr. Modi's desire to invite the heads of government of all SAARC countries to his swearing-in, saying it is a first step towards improving ties with India's neighbours. The party also said the installation of a new government in the world's largest democracy through peaceful transfer of power is also an occasion to showcase the strength of democracy.

3. Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) had a landslide victory in the just-concluded polls to elect members of the 16th Lok Sabha and crossed the majority mark of 272 in the 543-member House on its own for the first time in its history. Immediately after BJP’s landslide victory, world leaders including US President H.E. Mr. Barack Obama and Russian President H.E. Mr. Vladimir Putin called Mr. Modi to congratulate him. On 20 May 2014, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, Hon'ble President of India formally appointed Mr. Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of India. The appointment came after the 63-year-old former Chief Minister of Gujarat was unanimously elected leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party as well as that of National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Party patriarch Mr. L.K. Advani proposed his name for the leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party which was seconded by a number of party leaders. Accepting the responsibility, Modi said the election result was vote for “new hope and aspiration” and that he would try his best to live up to the expectations of the people.

4. Media persons, think tanks and other prominent persons will have the opportunity to witness the live swearing-in ceremony of Indian PM-designate Hon'ble Mr. Narendra Modi at the Embassy premises. For further details, please contact indemb@eunet.rs or visit Embassy's website at http://eoibelgrade.gov.in/ .

Place: Belgrade
Date: May 22, 2014