India’s Narendra Modi unveils BJP-led coalition cabinet, in signal of policy continuity

Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party old guard dominates the list, with key posts unchanged – signalling broad policy continuity

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India’s Narendra Modi gestures to the gathering before taking the oath of office for his third term. Photo: AFP

Published: 11:26pm, 10 Jun 2024

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled on Monday his coalition government after a surprise election setback lost his Hindu-nationalist party an overall majority.

The 71 members of his government took the oath of office after Modi on Sunday, with 11 posts going to coalition allies who extracted them in exchange for their support – including five in the top 30 cabinet posts.

But Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) old guard dominate the list, with key posts unchanged – signalling broad policy continuity.

That includes BJP loyalists Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman and S.Jaishankar – the defence, interior, transport, finance and foreign ministers respectively, staying on in their jobs.

Powerful BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda was named as health minister.

Indias newly sworn-in Prime Minister Narendra Modi (first row, middle, in bright blue) stands for a group photograph with newly sworn-in cabinet ministers after the oath-taking ceremony at the presidential palace in New Delhi. Photo: AFP

Posts given to coalition leaders include civil aviation, to Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the BJP’s biggest ally.