NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar carries a personal letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to US President-elect Donald Trump, news agencies reported citing sources.
Jaishankar represents Prime Minister Modi as his special envoy at Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony in Washington DC.
Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, marking his return to power after a four-year gap. In this historic moment, Trump becomes the second American president, after Grover Cleveland, to regain the presidency after an electoral defeat.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh attended the swearing-in ceremony of the President of Nigeria in May 2023, while the then Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju attended the swearing-in ceremony of the President of Maldives in November 2023. 2023, the sources said citing previous precedents.
Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari attended the swearing-in ceremony of the Iranian president in July last year and Foreign Minister Pabitra Margherita attended the swearing-in ceremony of the president of Indonesia and the president of Mexico in October 2024, sources said.
In June 2022, then Foreign Minister Raj Kumar Ranjan Singh attended the swearing-in ceremony of the Philippine president, they added.
Also read: Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony: Find out its date, time and how to watch the inauguration ceremony live online
The inauguration will begin at noon ET (10:30 pm IST) at the US Capitol, adhering to the 20th Amendment of the Constitution. Vice President-elect JD Vance will be the first to take the oath, administered by Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Then, Chief Justice John Roberts will administer Trump’s presidential oath, officially beginning his second term.
Trump’s inaugural address, which is expected to outline his vision for his return to leadership, will conclude the ceremony, which will captivate global attention.