PM Modi congratulated Putin on being elected President again

New Delhi: Congratulating Russian President Vladimir Putin on his landslide election victory, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said he looks forward to further strengthening the time-tested partnership between the two countries.

Vladimir Putin, 71, became president for the fifth time by winning almost 88 percent of the votes, the highest in Russia’s post-Soviet history.

“Hearty congratulations to His Excellency Mr. Vladimir Putin on his re-election as President of the Russian Federation,” PM Modi said in a post on Instagram.

“In the years to come, we look forward to working together to further strengthen the time-tested special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia,” he said.

President Putin had earlier this year praised India and PM Modi for pursuing an independent foreign policy. “It is not easy in the modern world,” he said.

Both India and Russia have repeatedly said that they are reliable partners.

Russia Today quoted Putin as saying, “We have very good relations with India and our confidence in India is demonstrated by the fact that Moscow is New Delhi’s largest foreign investor… and this is just the beginning.”

Putin thanked the country’s people in a “victory speech” at his presidential campaign headquarters in Moscow. He will hold the post till 2030 and will become the country’s longest serving leader in more than 200 years.

He told supporters that he would prioritize Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine and strengthen the Russian military.

He said, “There are many tasks before us. But when we unite – no matter who wants to intimidate us, to suppress us – no one in history has succeeded in doing that, they have not succeeded now, and they will never succeed in the future. Will not happen.