Putin greets Modi on 76th birthday, hails role in India-Russia ties
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 76th birthday and praised his role in strengthening the India-Russia relationship. In a message published on the Kremlin website, Putin said Modi enjoyed deep respect in India and had "great authority on the global stage".
The message came days after Putin's visit to New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit. During the three-day visit from September 11 to 13, Modi and Putin held wide-ranging talks on raising annual bilateral trade to USD 100 billion by 2030 and expanding cooperation in defence, energy, critical minerals and fertiliser supplies.
"You are rightly enjoying a deep respect from your compatriots and great authority on the global stage. It is impossible to overstate your personal contribution to strengthening the special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia," Putin said.
Putin also thanked Modi for the welcome extended to him during his recent visit. "I would like to express my gratitude for the warm and cordial welcome and hospitality extended to me and the Russian delegation during my visit to New Delhi last week," the message read.
He added, "The talks we held were undoubtedly substantive, frank, and productive. As always, it was a genuine pleasure to talk with you, and our discussions once again demonstrated your extraordinary political wisdom and foresight." Putin also said, "We will, of course, continue our constructive cooperation on pressing bilateral and international issues for the benefit of our friendly nations."
Prime Minister Modi was born on September 17, 1950, in Gujarat's Vadnagar. Putin's message underlined both the recent talks in New Delhi and his praise for Modi's contribution to the special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia.
