New Delhi
\nIndia has invited leaders from the neighbouring countries to attend Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi\u2019s swearing in ceremony as the third-time prime minister on June 9.
\nThe leaders who are invited to attend the oath-taking ceremony include Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremasinghe, Bhutan\u2019s PM Tshering Tobgay and Nepal\u2019s premier Pushpa Kumar Dahal \u201cPrachanda\u201d.
\nAccording to The Hindu, India has also taken special security measures for the foreign dignitaries attending Modi\u2019s ceremony in a bid to avoid any untoward incident.
\nSeveral other leaders including United States President Joe Biden, British PM Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated the Indian leader on being elected as the country\u2019s premier.
\nModi, a populist who has dominated Indian politics since coming to power in 2014, has for the first time needed the support of regional allies as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 240 constituencies, falling short of winning the majority of 272 constituencies.
\nTwo allies in Modi\u2019s National Democratic Alliance coalition, the Telugu Desam Party, a key regional player in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, and the Janata Dal (United) which rules the northern state of Bihar, pledged their support.
\nPakistan has not yet congratulated Modi
\nOn the other hand, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has not yet congratulated Modi on winning the elections.
\nForeign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, during a press briefing, was asked if Pakistan has officially congratulated Modi on his elections as the PM and the country\u2019s take on the Indian elections.
\n\u201cIt is the right of the people of India to decide about their own leadership. We do not have any comments on their electoral process. Regarding your first question, I think this question is premature. As far as I understand, the process of formation of government is ongoing,\u201d said Baloch.
\nTo another query, the spokesperson said that Pakistan has always desired cooperative relations with all its neighbours including India. \u201cWe have consistently advocated constructive dialogue and engagement to resolve all outstanding issues, including the core dispute of Jammu and Kashmir,\u201d she said.
\n\u201cHowever, India\u2019s actions of August 5, 2019, in IIOJK have vitiated the bilateral environment. We have also observed an increase in vitriolic rhetoric against Pakistan, especially during the recent electoral campaign in India,\u201d added Baloch.
\nThe spokesperson said Pakistan still believes in peaceful coexistence and wants peace and stability in the region, hoping that India will take steps to create a conducive environment for advancement of peace and dialogue and resolution of long-standing dispute for the mutual benefit of the people of both countries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
New Delhi India has invited leaders from the neighbouring countries to attend Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi\u2019s swearing in ceremony as the third-time prime minister on June 9. The leaders who are invited to attend the oath-taking ceremony include Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremasinghe, Bhutan\u2019s PM Tshering Tobgay and Nepal\u2019s premier […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":411584,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-411763","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n