Narendra Modi sworn in as Indian prime minister

NEW DELHI. KAZINFORM - Narendra Modi has been sworn in as India's new prime minister in a ceremony in the forecourt of the presidential palace in Delhi.
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Mr Modi took the oath before thousands of guests, including his counterpart from rival Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, BBC News reports. It is the first time since the two countries won independence in 1947 that a prime minister from one state has attended such a ceremony in the other. Mr Modi led his BJP party to a landslide win in the recent election. The BJP won the biggest victory by any party in India for 30 years, gaining a majority in parliament and trouncing the outgoing Congress Party. Senior BJP and Congress leaders as well as Bollywood actors and top industrialists watched Mr Modi take the oath as the 15th prime minister of India. "I, Narendra Damodardas Modi, swear in the name of God that I will maintain the integrity of India," Mr Modi said in Hindi. "I will work without fear, anger or hatred and will do justice to all as per the constitution." Forty-five MPs, including seven women, from Mr Modi's BJP party and their allies have also been sworn in as ministers, although they are yet to be allocated their ministries. Monday's grand outdoor ceremony was attended by the leaders of all seven South Asian countries as well as Mauritius. But all eyes were on the presence of Mr Sharif, who is expected to hold bilateral talks with Mr Modi on Tuesday. The two nuclear-armed rivals have fought three wars in the past 60 years, and Mr Modi's BJP party advocates a tough stance on Pakistan. Read more

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