Modi Claims Victory in India Election Amid Surprising Losses, Requires Coalition

India's transformative yet divisive Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared victory in the national elections on Tuesday evening, although his goal of securing an unassailable majority was thwarted by a surprising result that diminished his party’s hold on power.

“Today is a glorious day… The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is going to form the government for the third time, we are grateful to the people,” Modi told cheering supporters at his party headquarters in New Delhi, referring to his political alliance. “This is a victory for the world’s largest democracy.”

Modi is set to form a government with the support of his NDA allies, marking a third consecutive term and cementing his status as one of the most successful politicians in post-independence India. However, his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fell short of the 272 seats needed for an outright majority in parliament, a significant setback that forces them to rely on coalition partners to govern.

The NDA alliance won a total of 292 seats, with the BJP alone securing 240. This outcome is a personal blow to Modi, who had confidently pledged to achieve a 400-seat supermajority in this year’s election. In the previous two elections, the BJP had secured a simple majority, turning Modi’s Hindu nationalist right-wing party into an electoral powerhouse.

Despite the setback, Modi remains poised to lead India for another term, continuing his significant yet contentious impact on the country's political landscape.