Foreign leaders congratulate Modi on becoming India’s longest-serving elected prime minister

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. File | Photo credit: PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi received congratulatory messages on becoming India’s longest-serving elected Prime Minister from the leaders of Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea and Trinidad and Tobago, who praised his “transformative governance, his advocacy for the Global South and his vision as Prime Minister of an inclusive and economically dynamic India,” according to an official statement from the office.

In a letter, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake conveyed the congratulations of the government and people of Sri Lanka to Prime Minister Modi. “This milestone is a testament not only to your years in office, but also to the trust that the people of the world’s largest democracy have repeatedly reposed in your leadership,” Mr Dissanayake said, according to a PMO statement.

The government statement also said that James Marape, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, said in a “personal video message” that Mr Modi was a “role model and example of leadership”. “To lift more than 200 million people out of poverty to a quality life today is an amazing feat,” he said, according to the PMO.

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar also congratulated Mr. Modi on the occasion, saying that under his leadership, India has evolved as a “leading voice in global affairs.”

Mr Dissanayake also highlighted India’s remarkable economic and social transformation, saying Mr Modi’s vision “has inspired many beyond India, including Sri Lanka”, according to a PMO statement.

An official statement said that Prime Minister Modi visited Sri Lanka from April 4 to 6, 2025, his fourth visit to the island nation, during which he was awarded the “Mitra Vibhushana”, the island nation’s highest civilian honor bestowed on a foreign dignitary. The statement also mentioned Mr Modi’s visit to Papua New Guinea in May 2023, the first by an Indian Prime Minister, and his visit to Trinidad and Tobago in 2025.

Published – 09 Jun 2026 22:45 IST