India has sworn in Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a third straight term in office.

Modi, who has been in power since 2014, took the oath of office for a further five years on Sunday evening in front of the official residence of President Draupadi Murmu in the capital New Delhi. Members of his new Cabinet were also sworn in afterward.

After Jawaharlal Nehru, Modi is only the country's second prime minister to serve a third term.

Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (Indian People's Party, BJP) lost its absolute majority in the lower house of parliament for the first time in 10 years but remained the strongest force.

It secured 240 of the 543 seats up for election. This meant that the BJP had to rely on its coalition partners – small, regional parties – to form a government, with which it achieved more than the 272 seats required for a majority.

Modi recently said that his new government would focus on economic development and helping the poorer sections of the population.

During the election campaign, the BJP mainly focussed on a personality cult around Modi. It propagated a Hindu nationalist agenda, according to which India should become a state only for the Hindu majority, which makes up 80% of the population.

Under Modi, what is now the world's most populous country has also become the fifth-largest economy in the world.

However, only a small minority benefits from this growth. According to official figures, more than half of the population can only make ends meet with social welfare.

Analysts pointed out that with their vote, the people were clearly calling for Modi to change course. His term of office is set to last five years.