Modi and B.J.P. Make History in India. Gandhi Concedes.

Modi declares his win a victory for ordinary Indians.

In a thundering speech to party workers outside the B.J.P.’s headquarters in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi struck a humble tone. “I bow to the 1.3 billion people of India,” he said.

“If someone is victorious, it is India,” he said. “If someone is victorious, it is democracy. If someone is victorious, it is the electorate.”

Exceeding all predictions, Modi’s party is winning a majority of seats.

Mr. Modi, one of the most powerful and divisive leaders India has produced in decades, appeared easily headed for another five-year term, according to election returns.

With most votes counted, the Election Commission reported that Mr. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, or B.J.P., was ahead in about 299 parliamentary districts, far beyond the 272 seats it would need for a majority in the 543-seat Parliament.

Before the election, most analysts predicted that the B.J.P. would lose seats overall, mostly because of dissatisfaction with the economy.

But that was before tensions with Pakistan handed Mr. Modi an issue he could command. He campaigned heavily on national security and on a forceful foreign policy, and it’s now clear that played well among India’s 900 million registered voters.

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