U.S. President Joseph Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin joined leaders from over 50 countries in congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for winning the highest number of seats in the Lok Sabha election.
During a telephone call, Mr. Modi also invited Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe to his swearing-in ceremony scheduled for this weekend, which President Wickremesinghe has accepted, according to a statement from the Sri Lankan Presidential Media Division.
Anticipation is building over which other international leaders will be invited to the ceremony, following precedents in 2014 and 2019 when Mr. Modi invited SAARC and BIMSTEC leaders, respectively. Invitations to other regional countries, including Gulf nations such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and Central Asian countries, are being considered. The decision will depend on the leaders’ ability to travel to India at short notice once the swearing-in details are finalized. Hotels in Delhi have already been alerted by security agencies to expect high-level visitors.
Among the countries whose leaders extended their congratulations on Wednesday were Israel, Singapore, the U.K., France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine. Regional leaders from Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Seychelles, and the UAE also conveyed their wishes, while the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) expressed its congratulations during a briefing.
“Congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the National Democratic Alliance on their victory, and to the nearly 650 million voters in this historic election,” said President Biden, highlighting the “unlimited potential” of the India-U.S. relationship. The U.S. government also praised Indian voters, poll workers, civil society, and journalists for their contributions to democracy.
President Putin was the first international leader to speak with Mr. Modi by phone. “The Russian President warmly congratulated Narendra Modi on the success of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the recently concluded general parliamentary elections,” stated the Kremlin on Wednesday.
Echoing the Chinese MFA, Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong wrote, “Look forward to making joint efforts with the Indian side for a sound and stable China-India relationship, which is in line with the interests and expectations of both countries, the region, and the world.”
UAE President Mohammed Bin Zayed greeted PM Modi, expressing interest in advancing their “deeply rooted strategic partnership.”
Mr. Modi is expected to travel to Italy for the G-7 outreach on June 13-14, where he will meet with President Biden and other G7 leaders, and to Kazakhstan on July 3-4 for the SCO summit, where the Presidents of Russia, China, and Central Asian countries, as well as Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, are expected to be present. Several South Asian leaders, including from Bangladesh, Bhutan, and possibly Sri Lanka, are also expected to visit India in the coming weeks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has invited Mr. Modi to a Peace Summit in Switzerland next week following the G-7, said, “Everyone in the world recognizes the significance and weight of India’s role in global affairs… In this regard, we also look forward to seeing India attend the Peace Summit.”
India has not yet confirmed its participation level at the conference, where Russia has not been invited. Mr. Modi responded to Mr. Zelenskyy’s invitation by stating that “India will continue to support peace, security, and prosperity for everyone in the region.”
On Tuesday, even before the vote count concluded, Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda), and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth sent their congratulations via social media. On Wednesday, as results were finalized, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu issued statements congratulating Mr. Modi on securing a third consecutive term. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, currently visiting China, has yet to convey his greetings.
“I look forward to working together to advance our shared interests in pursuit of shared prosperity and stability for our two countries,” said President Muizzu, highlighting the importance of Indo-Maldivian relations despite recent tensions over Indian troop presence in the Maldives’ southern atolls.
