India has had 14 Prime Ministers since independence, from Jawaharlal Nehru in 1947 to Narendra Modi, who has held the office since May 26, 2014. Two more spells were held by Gulzarilal Nanda as acting Prime Minister after the deaths of Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri.
The dates below are taken from the official website of the Prime Minister's Office (pmindia.gov.in). Time in office is worked out from those dates.
All Prime Ministers of India with dates
| No. | Prime Minister | From | To | Time in office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jawaharlal Nehru | Aug 15, 1947 | May 27, 1964 | 16 years 9 months |
| - | Gulzarilal Nanda (acting) | May 27, 1964 | Jun 9, 1964 | 13 days |
| 2 | Lal Bahadur Shastri | Jun 9, 1964 | Jan 11, 1966 | 1 year 7 months |
| - | Gulzarilal Nanda (acting) | Jan 11, 1966 | Jan 24, 1966 | 13 days |
| 3 | Indira Gandhi | Jan 24, 1966 | Mar 24, 1977 | 11 years 2 months |
| 4 | Morarji Desai | Mar 24, 1977 | Jul 28, 1979 | 2 years 4 months |
| 5 | Charan Singh | Jul 28, 1979 | Jan 14, 1980 | 5 months 17 days |
| 3 | Indira Gandhi (second spell) | Jan 14, 1980 | Oct 31, 1984 | 4 years 9 months |
| 6 | Rajiv Gandhi | Oct 31, 1984 | Dec 2, 1989 | 5 years 1 month |
| 7 | Vishwanath Pratap Singh | Dec 2, 1989 | Nov 10, 1990 | 11 months 8 days |
| 8 | Chandra Shekhar | Nov 10, 1990 | Jun 21, 1991 | 7 months 11 days |
| 9 | P. V. Narasimha Rao | Jun 21, 1991 | May 16, 1996 | 4 years 10 months |
| 10 | Atal Bihari Vajpayee | May 16, 1996 | Jun 1, 1996 | 16 days |
| 11 | H. D. Deve Gowda | Jun 1, 1996 | Apr 21, 1997 | 10 months 20 days |
| 12 | Inder Kumar Gujral | Apr 21, 1997 | Mar 19, 1998 | 10 months 26 days |
| 10 | Atal Bihari Vajpayee (second spell) | Mar 19, 1998 | May 22, 2004 | 6 years 2 months |
| 13 | Manmohan Singh | May 22, 2004 | May 26, 2014 | 10 years |
| 14 | Narendra Modi | May 26, 2014 | In office | - |
Leaders who returned for a second spell keep their original number, which is why the list has 14 numbers but 18 rows.
The longest-serving Prime Ministers
Based on the official dates, the longest tenures are:
- Jawaharlal Nehru - about 16 years and 9 months (16 years 286 days) in one unbroken stretch, from independence until his death in office in May 1964.
- Indira Gandhi - about 15 years and 11 months in total: just over 11 years from 1966 to 1977, then 4 years 9 months from 1980 to 1984.
- Narendra Modi - in office since May 26, 2014; as of September 2026 this is more than 12 years, the longest continuous tenure after Nehru's.
- Manmohan Singh - 10 years and 4 days, from May 22, 2004 to May 26, 2014.
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee - about 6 years and 2 months in total across two spells.
Narendra Modi was sworn in for a third consecutive term on June 9, 2024, after the 2024 Lok Sabha election, according to the Prime Minister's Office.
The shortest terms
- Gulzarilal Nanda served twice as acting Prime Minister, for 13 days each time: after Nehru's death in 1964 and after Shastri's death in January 1966.
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee's first term in May 1996 lasted just 16 days - the shortest for any regular Prime Minister.
- Charan Singh served 5 months and 17 days, from July 1979 to January 1980.
- Chandra Shekhar served 7 months and 11 days, from November 1990 to June 1991.
Facts worth knowing
- Only woman Prime Minister: Indira Gandhi.
- Prime Ministers who died in office: Jawaharlal Nehru (1964), Lal Bahadur Shastri (1966) and Indira Gandhi (1984). Each death was followed immediately by a new or acting Prime Minister taking over on the same day.
- Coalition years of the 1990s: between December 1989 and March 1998, six different people held the office - V. P. Singh, Chandra Shekhar, Narasimha Rao, Vajpayee, Deve Gowda and Gujral.
- Born after independence: the Prime Minister's Office notes that Narendra Modi is the first Prime Minister born after India became independent.
- Returned after a break: Indira Gandhi (1980) and Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1998) are the only two who came back to office after another Prime Minister had served in between.
How a Prime Minister is appointed
Under the Constitution, the President appoints the Prime Minister. By convention, the President invites the leader of the party or alliance that has, or can show, the support of a majority in the Lok Sabha. The Prime Minister then advises the President on appointing the other ministers.
The Prime Minister stays in office as long as the government has the confidence of the Lok Sabha. There is no limit on the number of terms a person can serve. A new term normally begins after each Lok Sabha general election, which is held at least once every five years.
How to read the dates
A Prime Minister's term ends on the day the next one is sworn in, so the "To" date of one row is the "From" date of the next. Time in office is counted from the swearing-in date to the date the successor took over. Different sources sometimes round these numbers differently, so small differences of a day or two are common.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the first Prime Minister of India?
Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of India. He took office on August 15, 1947 and served until May 27, 1964.
Who is the longest-serving Prime Minister of India?
Jawaharlal Nehru served the longest single unbroken term, about 16 years and 9 months, from August 15, 1947 to May 27, 1964. Indira Gandhi is second, with about 15 years and 11 months across two spells.
Who had the shortest term as Prime Minister?
Among regular Prime Ministers, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's first term in 1996 was the shortest at 16 days. Acting Prime Minister Gulzarilal Nanda served two spells of 13 days each.
How many Prime Ministers has India had?
India has had 14 Prime Ministers, counting each person once and not counting acting Prime Minister Gulzarilal Nanda. Narendra Modi is the 14th.
Who was the only woman Prime Minister of India?
Indira Gandhi is the only woman to have been Prime Minister of India so far. She served from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 to 1984.
