World Leaders Laud Modi for Becoming Longest-Serving Indian PM

World leaders and several Indian ministers congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on becoming the longest serving elected premier of India. Modi reached the milestone on Wednesday, with an unbroken tenure of 4,399 days in office, surpassing the record of the first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. He first took charge as India's prime minister with a landslide victory on May 26, 2014.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in a message sent on June 8, was among the first world leaders to commend the Prime Minister for his achievement. He also commented on the India-Sri Lanka bilateral ties. He said that the two nations have seen an upswing in relations in recent years with Sri Lanka benefitting directly from Modi’s support and intervention in challenging times. 

Praising Modi’s political career, Dissanayake asserted that this milestone is a testament to his competent governance and the capability to bring real change in the lives of the people. “Your vision of an economically dynamic India has inspired many beyond your borders, including in Sri Lanka. I look forward to building on the unprecedented momentum in bilateral relations,” Dissanayake added. 

Several other world leaders also greeted Modi, remarking that India has emerged as a leading world economy with an increasingly influential voice in regional and global affairs under the current Prime Minister. 

In a personal video message to Modi, James Marape, the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, described him as “an exemplary role model for leaders” and expressed the desire to further strengthen the bilateral ties between the two nations. 

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessa too, of Trinidad and Tobago, congratulated the Indian Prime Minister on this watershed moment in his career. She emphasized on India’s achievements in foreign policy, economic growth, infrastructure and socio-economic development under Modi’s administration.

Australia's former Prime Minister Scott Morrison praised Modi for India’s economic transformation as he congratulated him in a Facebook post. “Proud of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership we built together,” he added. 

Cheering Modi for advancing India’s development, Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, said that he looks forward to "continuing our cooperation in strengthening bilateral ties and expanding opportunities for our peoples".

In a long congratulatory message on X, President of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu added, “Beyond being a great friend of Nigeria, Prime Minister Modi is a personal friend and trusted ally whom I can always count on. Over the years, I have come to deeply admire his wisdom, courage, and commitment to the progress and prosperity of his nation.” 

Former President of the Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih posted on social media that Modi’s leadership helped Maldives-India relations flourish and strengthen significantly. He noted that successfully securing consecutive electoral mandates in the world’s largest democracy goes on to show the immense trust and confidence the public has repeatedly placed in his leadership. 

William Samoei Ruto, President of Kenya, reflected on Modi’s political trajectory saying “his journey from humble beginnings to this position is a testament to his dedication, perseverance and public service".

Indian Ministers Celebrate Modi’s Leadership

Within India, President Droupadi Murmu congratulated the Prime Minister, remarking that his tenure has been distinguished by far-reaching advancements across governance, economic resilience and social transformation. 

Vice President C P Radhakrishnan in a celebratory post on X said, "Abraham Lincoln liberated millions from the bondage of slavery.  In our times, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shriman Narendra Modi Ji has liberated over 25 crore people from the grip of absolute poverty through inclusive development, bringing hope, opportunity, and dignity to millions of families.”

Former President Ram Nath Kovind hailed Modi's 12-year tenure, calling it a successful challenge to the inferiority imposed by colonial rule. He said that Modi projected India as the “Mother of Democracy” on the global stage.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar also celebrated Modi’s leadership, saying that he has transformed India’s foreign policy. In a social media post, Jaishankar reflected on India’s effective response mechanism in crisis situations including through evacuations, in Ukraine, Israel and Afghanistan. 

In the list of Modi’s achievements, Jaishankar noted that his government helped Indian products and services enter new markets by launching development projects and helped Indian businesses get market access abroad and enhance exports. 

Further, welfare measures were instituted for Indian students abroad and 44 new embassies and consulates were opened to address the needs of Indians living abroad, said Jaishankar. The process of passport issuance was made easy for citizens; with digital platforms created for grievance redressal, he added.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal are just a few among the many Union Ministers who also celebrated the milestone, calling Modi’s tenure "unparalleled" and “praying for his continued strength and leadership”.

Several Chief Ministers, including Rekha Gupta of Delhi, Yogi Adityanath of Uttar Pradesh, N Chandrababu Naidu of Andhra Pradesh, and more, also wished the Prime Minister, thanking him for his “enduring contributions towards a Viksit Bharat”.