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What role does India’s president play in appointing the prime minister?

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Walpole, Robert — prime minister Robert Walpole, detail of an oil painting by Sir Godfrey Kneller, c. 1710–15; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.

The president of India plays a formal role in the appointment of the prime minister, acting as the head of state within the country's constitutional framework.

Following Lok Sabha elections, the president invites the leader of the party or coalition that has secured a majority in the Lok Sabha to form the government. The president then formally appoints this leader as the prime minister.123

In scenarios where no single party or coalition achieves an absolute majority, the president exercises discretion by calling upon the leader of the largest party or coalition who is most likely to secure majority support in the Lok Sabha. Once appointed, the prime minister must prove their majority on the floor of the house. Additionally, the president formally appoints the Council of Ministers based on the advice of the prime minister.123