India is inviting heads of state and government from Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, and the Seychelles to the swearing-in ceremony of the next Narendra Modi government on June 9. The focus is on the western and southern Indian Ocean (IOR), where India has been a security provider and first responder for decades. The other key overseas guests are Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan, affirming long-standing ties and bolstering India's push to counterbalance Chinese influence in the immediate neighborhood.