Narendra Modi is set to be sworn in as Prime Minister for the third consecutive term on Saturday after being chosen as the leader by his allies in a key meeting held in Delhi yesterday, sources informed NDTV.

Reflecting India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy, top South Asian leaders have been invited to the ceremony. Leaders from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have already confirmed their attendance after speaking with PM Modi over the phone.

The office of Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe confirmed his acceptance of the invitation and congratulated PM Modi on his electoral victory. Similarly, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, one of the first foreign leaders to congratulate Modi, will arrive in Delhi on Friday, a day ahead of the event, according to Bangladeshi media.

Formal invitations have also been extended to Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda,' Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, according to reports.

The BJP, with 240 seats, fell short of the halfway mark, but the NDA coalition has secured a comfortable majority, winning 293 out of 543 Lok Sabha seats.

NDA partners, including Telugu Desam Party leader Chandrababu Naidu and Janata Dal-United chief Nitish Kumar, met at the Prime Minister's residence yesterday and unanimously endorsed Modi as the alliance leader.

In 2014, leaders of the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries attended Modi's first swearing-in ceremony. In 2019, the oath ceremony saw the presence of leaders from BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries.