Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday congratulated Balendra Shah on being sworn in as Nepal’s 47th Prime Minister, expressing optimism about strengthening ties between the two neighboring countries. In a post on X, Modi wrote, “Warm congratulations to Mr. Balendra Shah on being sworn in as the Prime Minister of Nepal. I look forward to working closely with you to take India-Nepal friendship and cooperation to even greater heights for the mutual benefit of our two peoples.”
Shah, a rapper-turned-politician, assumed office amid high expectations to restore political stability and boost employment in Nepal, a nation long challenged by fragile governments and weak economic growth. The 35-year-old, who previously served as mayor of Kathmandu, is the youngest prime minister in decades and the first from the Madhesi community—people of the southern plains bordering India—to lead the country.
His rise to premiership follows the success of his three-year-old Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which won 182 of the 275 parliamentary seats in the March 5 election. The vote was the first after the Gen Z anti-corruption protests in September last year, during which 76 people lost their lives. Shah’s party decisively outperformed established political groups, including the Nepali Congress, which secured only 38 seats, and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), which won 25.
Shah was sworn in at the President House, wearing his signature black Nepali cap, sunglasses, and a matching jacket with trousers, in the presence of diplomats and senior officials. Analysts have emphasized that the immediate test for his government will be delivering services transparently and promptly, with public expectations for visible governance improvements starting immediately.
Among the early challenges facing Shah is the implementation of recommendations from a panel that investigated the violence during last year’s anti-corruption protests. The panel suggested prosecuting those responsible for the crackdown, including then Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, whose government resigned amid public unrest. Observers note that tackling corruption, unemployment, and social inequities will be crucial to his administration’s credibility.
Nepal has long struggled with political instability, having seen 32 governments since 1990, none completing a full five-year term. With a population of around 30 million, a fifth of whom live in poverty, and thousands leaving the country daily for work abroad, Shah’s government faces both high public expectations and complex socio-economic challenges. His leadership is now being closely watched both domestically and internationally, particularly by India and China, Nepal’s powerful neighbors.