REUTERS/Adnan AbidiIndia's Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes an oath during a swearing-in ceremony at the presidential palace in New Delhi, India, June 9, 2024. REUTERS/Adnan AbidiNarendra Modi was sworn in as India's prime minister on Sunday for a record-equalling third term, but as a restive coalition's head after a shock poll setback that will test his ability to ensure policy certainty in the world's most populous nation. Modi, who started as a publicist of the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is only the second person after independence leader Jawaharlal Nehru to serve a third straight term as prime minister. When Modi was the chief minister of the western state of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014, BJP enjoyed strong majorities, allowing him to govern decisively. Modi's new term as prime minister, therefore, is likely to be fraught with challenges on building consensus on contentious political and policy issues in the face of different interests of regional parties and a stronger opposition, analysts say.
