List of All Prime Ministers of India (1947-2024)

List of Indian Prime Ministers: Narendra Modi is the current 14th Prime Minister of India. He will become the fourth Indian Prime Minister to serve two terms, and the first non-Congress Prime Minister to serve two terms. The Prime Minister of India is the head of the government of the Republic of India. Executive power is vested in the Prime Minister and his elected Council of Ministers, but the President of India is the constitutional, titular and ceremonial head of state.

Narendra Modi has led India to overcome numerous domestic and international challenges during his time in office. This list reflects India’s democratic resilience and the diverse contributions of its leaders to the country’s progress. He was sworn in as Prime Minister on June 9, 2024.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 9, 2024

In this article, we have compiled a list of all Prime Ministers of India and their tenures from 1947 to 2024.

List of Indian Prime Ministers from 1947 to 2024

India has a parliamentary system of government, with the Prime Minister serving as both the executive head and the presiding officer. The Lok Sabha, the main legislative body of the Republic of India, is the lower house of the Indian Parliament, and the Prime Minister is usually the leader of the party or coalition that holds a majority in Parliament. The Lok Sabha is the permanent accountability body for the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister of India is chosen by the President, but in order to remain in office, the Prime Minister must have the support of a majority of the Lok Sabha, which is directly elected every five years. The upper house of Parliament, the Rajya Sabha, or the Lok Sabha can accommodate the Prime Minister. The appointment and removal of members of the Union Council of Ministers and the allocation of positions within the government are entirely at the discretion of the Prime Minister.

Narendra Modi’s third swearing-in as Prime Minister of India in 2024 is an important chapter in India’s political history. Since 2014, his leadership style has been characterized by large-scale economic reforms, a strong foreign policy, and ambitious infrastructure projects. Modi’s tenure has seen several landmark initiatives such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Make in India campaign, and the Clean India campaign.

Modi’s second term began in 2019, and he continued to take bold steps such as the abrogation of Article 370, significant progress in digital governance, and the implementation of the Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) program. As he begins his third term, Modi’s focus remains on guiding India to an improved economy, strengthening social welfare programs, and promoting technological advancement. His leadership will carry India through the next set of challenges and opportunities until the next Lok Sabha elections.

Here is a list of Indian Prime Ministers from 1947 to 2024

Serial number

Personal Manager Name

life and death

term of office

Comment

1.

(1889-1964)

August 15, 1947 – May 27, 1964

16 years 286 days

The first and longest serving Prime Minister of India, and the first Prime Minister to die in office.

2.

Gulzarilal Nanda (Acting)

(1898-1998)

May 27, 1964 – June 9, 1964,

13 days

First Acting Prime Minister of India

3.

Lal Bahadur Shastri

(1904–1966)

June 9, 1964 – January 11, 1966

1 year 216 days

He raised the slogan “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan” during the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War

4.

Gulzari Lal Nanda (Acting)

(1898-1998)

January 11, 1966 – January 24, 1966

13 days

5.

(1917–1984)

January 24, 1966 – March 24, 1977

11 years and 59 days

India’s first female prime minister

6.

Morarji Desai

(1896-1995)

March 24, 1977 – July 28, 1979

2 years 126 days

The oldest prime minister (81) and the first to resign

7.

Charan Singh

(1902–1987)

July 28, 1979 – January 14, 1980

170 days

The only prime minister not to attend parliament

8.

(1917–1984)

January 14, 1980 – October 31, 1984

4 years 291 days

First Lady of the Second Prime Minister

9.

(1944–1991)

October 31, 1984 – December 2, 1989

5 years 32 days

Youngest Prime Minister (40 years old)

10.

Vice President Singh

(1931–2008)

December 2, 1989 – November 10, 1990

343 days

First prime minister to step down after no-confidence vote

11.

(1927–2007)

November 10, 1990 – June 21, 1991

223 days

He is a member of the Samajwadi Janata Party

12.

PV Narasimha Rao

(1921–2004)

June 21, 1991 – May 16, 1996

4 years, 330 days

First Prime Minister from South India

13.

(1924-2018)

May 16, 1996 – June 1, 1996

16 days

Shortest-serving Prime Minister

14.

HD Dev Gundam

(Born in 1933)

June 1, 1996 – April 21, 1997

324 days

He is a member of the People’s Party

15.

Inder Kumar Gujral

(1919–2012)

April 21, 1997 – March 19, 1998

332 days

——

16.

(1924-2018)

March 19, 1998 – May 22, 2004

6 years 64 days

First non-Congress prime minister to serve a full term

17.

(Born in 1932)

May 22, 2004 – May 26, 2014

10 years and 4 days

First Sikh Prime Minister

18.

(Born in 1950)

May 26, 2014 – 2019

The fourth Prime Minister of India, serving two terms

19.

Narendra Modi

(Born in 1950)

May 30, 2019-Current

First non-Congress prime minister to serve two consecutive terms

List of all Indian Prime Ministers: Key Points

  • Article 75 of the Indian Constitution provides that there will be a Prime Minister who will be appointed by the President of India.
  • The Prime Minister is the leader of the Cabinet of Ministers. The main executive power of the government is vested in the Prime Minister, while the President is the nominal head of state.
  • Article 78 of the Indian Constitution defines the duties of the Prime Minister of India. He acts as a link between the President and the Cabinet in the performance of his duties.
  • The Prime Minister of India is responsible for setting the dates and agenda for parliamentary sessions. He also decides when to adjourn or dissolve parliament.
  • As chief spokesman, he announces the government’s main policies and answers questions.
  • The Prime Minister recommends many official appointments to the President and distributes and reassigns various portfolios among the Ministers. He chairs meetings of ministers and influences their decisions.
  • The Prime Minister can ask any member to resign or recommend to the President to remove any minister.

List of all Indian Prime Ministers: Key Facts

  • Nehru was the first Prime Minister of India and a key figure in the Indian independence movement. He is considered the founder of modern India. He was the longest-serving Prime Minister, serving for 16 years and 286 days.
  • Indira Gandhi was the first female Prime Minister of India.
  • Charan Singh is a farmer leader known for his pro-poor policies. He is the first prime minister elected from a rural constituency.
  • Morarji Desai, India’s first non-Congress prime minister, was a staunch Hindu nationalist known for his economic reforms.
  • Rajiv Gandhi, 40, was India’s youngest prime minister when he was assassinated by a Sri Lankan suicide bomber in 1989.
  • Indira Gandhi received the most no-confidence votes (15)

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