Mint Explainer: BJP's third term - coalition politics and India's foreign policy
BJP, having secured more than 272 seats on its own in both 2014 and 2019, was not concerned with political stability. However, in his first speech after the results on Tuesday, Modi emphasized that India would continue to look outward, seeking to integrate into global value chains and assist countries in need. For the world, Modi is someone they have engaged with for the past decade, someone they have done business with and hence predictable to work with.
Underestimating the formidable duo of Modi, Amit Shah will be a mistake. Both astute politicians, they are adept at managing coalition dynamics. Modi's recent speech assured that his third term would see impactful decisions driving the country towards development.
He has offered stability and predictability despite the mandate. And S. Jaishankar, widely regarded as one of India's most capable foreign ministers, reinforces the team.
Having played a key role in maintaining stable fuel prices by securing Russian oil despite international criticism, Jaishankar is known to share a strong rapport with the prime minister. There is also the question of which international leaders the Indian government will invite to preside over Modi’s swearing-in as the prime minister for the third consecutive time—a feat unheard of in recent history. In 2014, Modi invited leaders of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation, comprising India’s immediate neighbours.
In 2019, Modi had invited leaders from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, and Bhutan—known by the acronym BIMSTEC. This signalled the primacy of neighbourhood and economic diplomacy, as well as connectivity, in Modi’s second term in office. Who the Modi government invites for the inauguration would give
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