INDIA POST NEWS SERVICE & AGENCIES
NEW DELHI: Leaders from across the world, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Thursday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for leading the BJP to a massive victory in this year’s Lok Sabha elections.
Congratulating Modi, Putin expressed his readiness to work together to build up the full range of bilateral relations.
“I am convinced that, as the Prime Minister of India, you will further strengthen the centuries-old friendship between our peoples and the all-round development of a particularly privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India,” Putin said in a congratulatory message.
The Russian leader expressed his readiness to continue fruitful personal contacts with Prime Minister Modi and to work together to build up the full range of bilateral relations and constructive interaction in international affairs, the Kremlin said in a statement.
In a letter sent to Prime Minister Modi, Chinese President Xi congratulated Modi on the electoral victory of the NDA under his leadership, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet.
In the letter, Xi noted the great importance he attached to the development of India-China relations and his desire to work with Prime Minister Modi to take the closer development partnership between the two countries to a new height.
He also expressed satisfaction at the strong momentum of development in India-China relations in recent years with the joint efforts of both the sides
Earlier in the day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu became the first world leader to congratulate his counterpart Modi for scripting an “impressive victory” in the general elections and vowed to strengthen their “great friendship” as well as bilateral ties.
“Greetings from the depth of my heart dear friend on your impressive victory in the elections,” Netanyahu tweeted in Hebrew, Hindi and English.
“The election results are a re-approval of your leadership and the way you lead the world’s greatest democracy. Together we will continue to strengthen the great friendship between us and India and Israel and lead it to new heights,” he tweeted.
The personal chemistry between the two leaders has been widely discussed in the media in both India and Israel.
Netanyahu visited India in January 2018 while Prime Minister Modi travelled to Tel Aviv in 2017, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to tour the Jewish state, where Netanyahu received him at the airport.
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and main Opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa also congratulated Modi.
“Congratulations on your victory and the people’s re-endorsement of you leadership,” Sirisena said in a tweet.
“I have immense pleasure in extending to you my warmest congratulations and sincere best wishes on the victory of the BJP,” Wickremesinghe’s message of congratulations said.
“Heartfelt best wishes and congratulations,” Rajapaksa said in his message.
Sri Lankan Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera interrupted his speech in Parliament to offer congratulations to Prime Minister Modi.
Several other lawmakers in Parliament offered best wishes to the Indian leader.
“Congratulations to Prime Minister to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a strong mandate from the people of India,” Afghan President Ashraf Ghani tweeted. “The government & the people of Afghanistan look forward to expanding cooperation between our two democracies.”
Other leaders from South Asian countries who congratulated Modi were Nepalese Prime K.P. Sharma Ali and King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe congratulated his Indian counterpart over telephone.
