Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed gratitude to several world leaders who congratulated him on becoming India`s longest-serving elected Prime Minister, describing their messages as warm and heartfelt while reaffirming India`s commitment to strengthening bilateral partnerships.
Leaders from countries including the United States, Singapore, Israel, Germany, Italy, Bhutan and Guyana extended their congratulations after Modi surpassed the record previously held by India`s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
World leaders congratulate PM Modi on historic milestone
A number of heads of government and state took to social media to congratulate Modi on achieving the milestone of serving 4,399 days as an elected Prime Minister.
Responding to the messages, Modi thanked the leaders individually and highlighted the importance of continued cooperation with their respective countries.
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong was among the first leaders to send his wishes. In response, Modi said he looked forward to working closely with Singapore to further strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations.
He also thanked Irfaan Ali for his message and expressed confidence that India and Guyana would continue to deepen cooperation across multiple sectors for the benefit of their citizens.
Focus on strengthening bilateral partnerships
Acknowledging the congratulatory message from Donald Trump, Modi said he looked forward to advancing the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
The Prime Minister also responded to a congratulatory video shared by Benjamin Netanyahu, describing him as a friend and expressing confidence that ties between India and Israel would continue to grow stronger in the coming years.
In his message to Friedrich Merz, Modi thanked the German leader for his wishes and reiterated India`s commitment to enhancing the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Italy, Bhutan among nations extending wishes
Modi also acknowledged the message sent by Giorgia Meloni and said he looked forward to building on the momentum of the India-Italy Special Strategic Partnership.
Similarly, he thanked Tshering Tobgay for his warm wishes, stating that he deeply values the unique and longstanding relationship between India and Bhutan.
According to officials, several other global leaders also extended their greetings, reflecting India`s growing diplomatic engagement with countries across regions.
Modi surpasses Nehru`s elected tenure record
The congratulatory messages came a day after Modi became India`s longest-serving elected Prime Minister.
The milestone was achieved after he completed 4,399 days in office, surpassing Jawaharlal Nehru`s elected tenure. The comparison is based on Nehru`s period in office from 1952 onwards, following India`s first general elections, and excludes his years as head of the interim government between 1947 and 1952.
Modi first assumed office in May 2014 and has since led the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to three consecutive Lok Sabha election victories in 2014, 2019 and 2024.
A decade marked by major infrastructure initiatives
The Prime Minister`s tenure has coincided with several large-scale infrastructure and development projects undertaken by the Union government.
Among the major initiatives launched or completed during this period are the new Parliament building, the Central Vista redevelopment project, Kartavya Path, the Vande Bharat train network, the Statue of Unity, INS Vikrant, the Kashmir rail link project, Noida International Airport, the Namo Bharat Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), and the Ganga Expressway.
With Modi now entering his third consecutive term as Prime Minister, the government has indicated that infrastructure development, economic growth, connectivity projects and strategic partnerships will remain key priorities in the years ahead.
The messages from world leaders also underscored the significance of the milestone in the context of India`s expanding global role and its growing engagement with major international partners.
(With inputs from IANS)
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