New Delhi, May 23 (UNI) Leaders from India's immediate neighbourhood and strategic partners across the world greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his landmark electoral victory in parliamentary elections on Thursday and looked forward to work with him to expand cooperation and partnership.
"Neighbourhood First" is the signature foreign policy the prime minister initiated in his first term (2014-19) in office and invited all South Asian leaders to his inauguration. And on Thursday, as most of the heads of government in these countries congratulated him on resounding victory, it is hoped that Modi would give a push to better subcontinental ties, particularly at a time when India’s relations with its largest neighbour, Pakistan, are in a deep freeze.
"I congratulate Prime Minister Modi on the electoral victory of BJP and allies. Look forward to working with him for peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia," Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a Twitter post.
In July last year, Modi had phoned Khan and congratulated him on the victory in the general election.
On Wednesday, during an "informal chat" with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Pakistan is committed to the vision of Prime Minister Khan of pursuing peaceful diplomacy with India.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called Modi and extended heartiest congratulations to him on his party’s landslide victory in the Indian general elections.
During the telephonic conversation that lasted over five minutes, she said the people of South Asia will be happy over his win and the people of the region could work together.
“I strongly believe that with the renewed mandate given to both of us by our respective peoples, Bangladesh-India ties, which have already been termed as a role model of good neighbourliness, will be further consolidated and our relations will scale newer heights,” she said in a separate message.
Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena in his message posted on Twitter said: “Congratulations on your victory and the peoples re-endorsement of your leadership. Sri Lanka looks forward to continuing the warm and constructive relationship with India in the future.
Nepalese Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli said: "I wish all success ahead. I look forward to working closely with you."
Afghan president Ashraf Ghani said, "The government and the people of Afghanistan look forward to expanding cooperation between our two democracies in pursuit of regional cooperation, peace and prosperity for all of South Asia."
Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said: "I look forward to closer and enhanced ties of Maldives-India cooperation.
Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering in a message said: "As we look forward to working closely in years to come, we pray India achieves greater success under your leadership."
Among the world leaders who congratulated the prime minister was Chinese President Xi Jinping, who held an informal summit with Modi at Wuhan last year that infused a new momentum to bilateral relations.
In a letter to Modi, Xi said he attached great importance to Sino-India ties and expressed the desire to take the development partnership between the two countries to a new height.
On Tuesday, External Affairs Minister Swaraj had met Cinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Foreign Minister's Meeting in Bishkek and discussed issues of bilateral interest, including implementation of understanding reached during Wuhan Summit.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called tand told Modi that he hoped that the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership would achieve its shared vision of peace, progress and prosperity.
Russian President Putin also sent a congratulatory message to the prime minister and confirmed his readiness to work together to build up the full range of bilateral relations and constructive interaction in international affairs.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netayahu who hailed Modi’s “impressive victory" and pledged to strengthen their "great friendship" as well as bilateral ties.
"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," Netayahu said.
Singapore’s prime minister Lee Hsein Loong said he hoped for stronger India-Singapore ties in Modi’s second term in office. “Our relations are already very substantial, but we should do more to exploit our complementarities, tap the reservoir of goodwill between the two countries and peoples, and fully realise the potential for enhanced cooperation including in the fintech and digital space," he said.
Vietnam premier Nguyen Xuan Phuc wrote to Modi congratulating him for the victory at the elections and looked forward to working together to further promote the depth and effectiveness of the relations.
Australian prime minister Scott Morrison, who himself won national polls last week, in a message said: “Australia and India enjoy a strong, vibrant and strategic partnership, and our India Economic Strategy will take our ties to a new level. I look forward to meeting again soon."
UNI SRJ