Wellington, Sep 17 (IANS) Several world leaders on Wednesday extended their warm greetings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 75th birthday, lauding his leadership while calling him as a “statesman and leading voice of the Global South”
In his video message for PM Modi, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stated, “Kia ora, namaskar, my good friend Prime Minister Modi. Congratulations on your 75th birthday from me and all of your friends across New Zealand. A milestone like this is a moment to reflect on the wisdom of your leadership as you seek to guide India towards becoming a developed country by 2047.”
Luxon also expressed his eagerness to strengthen cooperation between the two nations. He said, “I’m really excited about New Zealand partnering more with India to achieve that vision as we look to ensure both our great nations achieve the security and also the prosperity that we seek.”
Luxon expressed hope of welcoming PM Modi to New Zealand and recalled his visit to India. He stated, “I hope I might be able to reciprocate the very warm hospitality you extended to me in March by hosting you here in New Zealand. But in the meantime, I wish you a very, very happy birthday.”
Guyana President Irfaan Ali wished for health, strength and blessings for PM Modi as he extended his heartfelt wishes to him on his 75th birthday.
“Your Excellency, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, on the joyous occasion of your 75th birth anniversary, I extend my warmest and most heartfelt congratulations. May this milestone be accompanied by continued health, abundant strength, and divine blessings as you carry forward your extraordinary mission of service to your people, the Global South, and to humanity at large,” Irfaan Ali said in the video.
He lauded PM Modi for being a resolute voice for the Global South. “Your leadership has been nothing short of transformative. In a world often defined by imbalance, you have emerged as a resolute voice for the Global South. You have championed the causes of those whose concerns too often go unheard. You have given visibility, dignity, and traction to issues of immense importance for developing nations. You have reminded the world that the destiny of the South is inseparable from the future of entire planet,” Ali added.
Stressing that the ties between India and Guyana have reached to “unprecedented heights” under PM Modi’s guidance, he said, “Under your guidance, the relationship between India and Guyana has reached unprecedented heights. Our bonds are today stronger than ever, infused with a spirit of friendship, solidarity, and mutual respect. We in Guyana look eagerly to the deepening of the partnership, confident that it will yield enduring benefits for both of our peoples.”
Extending heartfelt wishes to PM Modi, he said, “On this special occasion, I wish you long life, renewed vigour, and many more years of inspired leadership. Leaders of your vision and stature appear, but rarely in the course of history. You’re indeed a blessing to humanity. May your journey continue to uplift your people and the rest of the world. And may we celebrate many more birthdays with you in the years ahead. Happy 75th birthday, Prime Minister. Please accept the assurances of my highest esteem.”
Hailing PM Modi as a “global leader, statesman and leading voice of the Global South”, Dominica PM Roosevelt Skerrit also extended birthday greetings to the Indian leader on his 75th birthday. He lauded PM Modi’s contribution to strengthening ties between India and Dominica.
“Greetings, everyone. India and Dominica enjoy warm and very friendly relations. Global leader, statesman, and leading voice of the Global South, that is Prime Minister Modi. I had the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Modi on the margins of the second India-Caricom summit in Guyana last year. We were glad to confer the highest national award of Dominica upon him for his support to Dominica during the Covid pandemic period and generally for his contribution in strengthening Dominica-India relations. The world needs Prime Minister Modi’s leadership now more than ever and we will continue to enhance the relations between Dominica and India. Best regards and all the best to Prime Minister Modi and the great people of India,” Skerrit said in the video.
Extending birthday greetings to PM Modi, European Council President Antonio Costa expressed hope to strengthen the partnership between India and the European Union.
Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, who just concluded his eight-day official visit to India, also extended warm greetings to PM Modi on his birthday. He recalled his visit to PM Modi’s parliamentary constituency Varanasi, where the two leaders held bilateral talks.
“Today it gives me great pleasure to wish, I was the first one to wish him already one week ahead, happy birthday because we want to see him in good health and able to lead this country as he’s doing at the moment. Not a coincidence also, my father of the nation, my father, his birthday is on the 18th. We’re to celebrate his 125th birthday in Mauritius on the 18th. I was very touched when I landed at Varanasi. The people were on the street everywhere with flags. They’ve been waiting there for ages apparently. The welcome, even today, the welcome is tremendous. I’ve never seen this before,” Ramgoolam said in a video.
Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar extended warm wishes to PM Narendra Modi on his 75th birthday, praising his leadership and thanking him for his initiatives benefitting people of Trinidad and Tobago.
She stated, “India and Trinidad and Tobago enjoy warm and cordial relations based on deep-rooted people-to-people ties for centuries. We wish to congratulate Prime Minister Modi on his birthday, September 17. Again, we thank him for paying a very historic visit to Trinidad and Tobago recently. We were glad to confer upon him the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, our highest national award for his contributions to the development of Trinidad and Tobago, for his service to the region and the wider international community.”
“He has been a statesman and a leading voice of the global South. We thank him for making so many announcements for the benefit of the people of Trinidad and Tobago, and in particular, Prime Minister, we thank you for the gift of laptops for the students of Trinidad and Tobago. We look forward to seeing you in times ahead, and as we say to you, happy birthday,” she added.
Calling PM Modi as a “great friend” to him and Britain, former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak extended his heartfelt wishes to PM Modi on his birthday.
He said, “It is a great pleasure to wish Prime Minister Modi a happy 75th birthday. In these uncertain times, we all need good friends, and Modi Ji has always been a good friend to me and to Britain.”
He added, “I’m delighted to see UK-India ties going from strength to strength. I know we both enjoyed the recent England-India test series, a reminder of how many things our two countries share.”
Rishi Sunak said that India-UK relations always have a special place in his heart. He said, “As someone from a British-Indian family, this relationship will always have a special place in my heart.”
He recalled his visit to India as the UK PM for attending the G20 Summit in 2023.
“I will always remember fondly travelling to India as Prime Minister for the G20 in 2023 with Akshata. It was a superb event befitting India’s standing on the world stage. So, Modiji, I wish you all the very best for your birthday and look forward to seeing you soon,” Sunak said.
Former Kenya PM Raila Odinga extended greetings to PM Modi on his birthday and recalled his first meeting with him, when he served as the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
“I’m delighted to hear that my good friend, Mr. Narendra Modi, is turning 75. That is a diamond birthday, which is very important. um I’ve known Mr. Modi now for over 15 years. I first met him when he was the Chief Minister of the State of Gujarat, when he came to visit Kenya. I was very impressed by the way he was conducting himself, his openness, his sincerity, his sense of duty, and most importantly his sense of humour. And I want to wish him many more birthdays in the future,” he said.
–IANS
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