Sonia Gandhi writes to British PM Sunak, hopes India-UK ties will deepen

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday congratulated Rishi Sunak on his elevation as British Prime Minister and hoped India's ties with the UK will further deepen during his tenure.

"I am delighted at your taking over as Prime Minister of Great Britain. It is certainly a matter of pride for all of us in India," she said in her letter to Sunak, who is of Indian origin.

"India-Britain relations have always been very special and I am confident that they will be further deepened during your tenure," Gandhi said.

Sunak on Tuesday took charge as Britain's first Indian-origin Prime Minister with a promise to put the crisis-hit country's needs "above politics" and "fix the mistakes" made by his predecessor, a day after he was elected the leader of the Conservative Party in a historic leadership run.

The 42-year-old investment banker-turned politician is the youngest British prime minister in 210 years. He is also Britain's first Hindu Prime Minister.

Sunak's victory in the Tory leadership race came at the end of a dramatic few days in Westminster since Liz Truss resigned last Thursday in the wake of a disastrous tax-cutting mini-budget and several policy U-turns.