External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has carried a personal letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for US President-elect Donald Trump, according to news sources. Representing PM Modi as his special envoy, Jaishankar will attend Trump’s inauguration in Washington DC.
This event marks a historic milestone as Trump becomes the 47th President of the United States, regaining office after a four-year interval. Trump is only the second US president, after Grover Cleveland, to reclaim the presidency following an electoral defeat.
The tradition of Indian ministers attending presidential inaugurations abroad continues with this visit. Previously, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attended Nigeria’s presidential inauguration in May 2023, and then Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju attended the Maldivian president’s inauguration in November 2023. In October 2024, MoS for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita represented India at the oath-taking ceremonies of the Indonesian and Mexican presidents. Other instances include Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari attending Iran’s presidential inauguration in July 2023 and former MoS for External Affairs Raj Kumar Ranjan Singh attending the Philippines’ ceremony in June 2022.
The inauguration ceremony for Trump will begin at noon ET (10:30 PM IST) at the US Capitol, in line with the 20th Amendment of the Constitution. Vice President-elect JD Vance will first take the oath, overseen by Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Following this, Chief Justice John Roberts will administer Trump’s presidential oath, officially marking the start of his second term.
Trump’s inaugural address is expected to outline his leadership vision, drawing global attention to this historic moment and his return to the presidency.
