Omar Abdullah will lead Kashmir's first elected government since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi revoked the region's semi-autonomous status.

Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

As the chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) party, Abdullah now leads Kashmir's first elected government since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) revoked the region’s special semi-autonomous status in 2019.

Since then, Jammu and Kashmir has been directly administered by the Indian federal government in New Delhi.

The swearing-in ceremony was held in Srinagar, the largest city in Jammu and Kashmir.

Abdullah’s JKNC secured the most seats in a three-phase election held before his swearing-in. The party is a firm opponent of Modi's decision to revoke Kashmir's Article 370, which granted the region semi-autonomy. The JKNC's victory is seen as a response to that move.

Manoj Sinha, a BJP member, administered the oath of office to Abdullah. Sinha serves as the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, a position established by the 2019 Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act following the abrogation of Article 370.

Prime Minister Modi congratulated Abdullah in a post on X, wishing him success: "Wishing him the very best in his efforts to serve the people."

The JKNC is aligned with the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), a coalition led by the Indian National Congress, the main opposition party in India.

Rahul Gandhi, a Congress Party member and leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, India’s lower house of parliament, attended the swearing-in ceremony.

Gandhi also extended his congratulations to Abdullah in a post on X, though he expressed concerns: “Government formation without statehood felt incomplete today.”

He added, “Democracy was snatched from the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and today we renew our pledge to continue our fight until statehood is fully restored.”

Before the revocation of Article 370, the Indian Parliament in New Delhi could only make laws for Jammu and Kashmir concerning defense, external affairs, and communications. However, the abrogation allows the Indian Parliament to legislate on a wider range of subjects for the region, rendering its local constitution obsolete. Additionally, it opened the region to property purchases by non-Kashmiris in the predominantly Muslim area.

India and Pakistan, both of which claim the Himalayan region of Kashmir, have fought three wars over it since gaining independence from Britain. The Pakistani government has strongly condemned the revocation of Article 370.