'You Have Shepherded India's Remarkable Transformation': Singapore PM's Congratulatory Letter to Modi

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong sent a congratulatory letter to Narendra Modi on Monday on his re-election, saying that the Indian Prime Minister shepherded the country’s remarkable transformation and uplifted the lives of millions of people.

“I extend my warmest congratulations on your re-election as Prime Minister of the Republic of India. Over the past 10 years, you have shepherded India’s remarkable transformation and uplifted the lives of millions of people. I am confident that under your leadership, India will continue to grow and prosper,” PM Wong said in the letter posted on social media platforms by Singapore’s top diplomat in India.

“Singapore and India are strategic partners who share a warm and multifaceted relationship. As we look forward to the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year, we will continue to cooperate closely to enhance this partnership and expand our collaboration in new areas like digitalisation, skilling, and healthcare,” the Singapore PM added.

This letter comes as top leaders from India’s neighbourhood and the Indian Ocean region including Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Sunday graced the swearing-in ceremony of Modi and the Union Council of Ministers.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay and Vice-President of Seychelles Ahmed Afif also attended the glittering ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Modi took the oath for the third straight term, days after the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance secured 293 seats out of 543 in the Lok Sabha polls.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the participation of the leaders from India’s neighbourhood and the Indian Ocean region on the “momentous occasion” of the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Modi and Union Council of Ministers underlines India’s deep-rooted bonds of friendship and cooperation with the region.

Following the swearing-in ceremony, Modi met the visiting leaders in Rashtrapati Bhavan. The leaders congratulated him for taking oath as the prime minister of India for the historic third consecutive term, the MEA said. “Thanking them for gracing the occasion, the prime minister reaffirmed India’s commitment to its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and ‘SAGAR Vision’.

“The prime minister emphasised that in his third term, India will continue to work for the peace, progress and prosperity of the region in close partnership with the countries even as it pursues its goal of Vikshit Bharat by 2047,” it said.