Narendra Modi will be the country's 15th Prime Minister. President Pranab Mukherjee will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Modi and his Council of Ministers at a function in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan at 6 pm this evening.

Nearly 4000 guests are expected to attend the ceremony. Top leaders from SAARC countries including Paksistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, Bhutan Prime Minister TsheringTobgay, Bangladesh Parliament Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam will attend the ceremony.

This is the first time that the heads of SAARC nations have been invited to attend the function.

Outgoing Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, leaders of various other political parties and Chief Ministers of several states will be present on the occasion.

This morning, Mr Modi paid homage to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi at his Samadhi at Rajghat. Later, Mr Modi sent a list of candidates of his Cabinet to the President.

Party sources said that 24 of them are likely to be of Cabinet rank, 10 Ministers of State with Independent charge and 11 Ministers of State.

Some of the senior BJP leaders and NDA allies had a breakfast meeting with Mr Modi at Gujarat Bhawan in the capital.

Meanwhile, elaborate arrangements are in place for the smooth conduct of the swearing-in ceremony.