Meloni, Putin, world leaders extend greetings to PM Modi on 75th birthday

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday extended greetings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 75th birthday, praising his leadership and commitment to India's progress.

Taking to X, Meloni wrote, "Happy 75th birthday to the Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi. His strength, his determination, and his ability to lead millions of people are a source of inspiration. With friendship and esteem, I wish him health and energy to continue leading India toward a bright future and to further strengthen the relations between our Nations."

Meloni's greetings came as several world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 75th birthday on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Modi was born on September 17, 1950, in a small town in Gujarat's Vadnagar.

President Putin extended birthday greetings to Modi, praising his "great personal contribution" to strengthening the partnership between the two countries.

"Through your activities as head of government, you have earned the high respect of your compatriots and enormous authority on the world stage," Putin said in a message published on the Kremlin website.

He added that India has made impressive achievements in the social, economic, scientific and technical fields under Modi's leadership.

You are making a great personal contribution to strengthening the special privileged strategic partnership between our countries, to developing mutually beneficial Russian-Indian cooperation in various areas, Putin said.

A day earlier, US President Donald Trump dialled Prime Minister Modi and extended birthday greetings to him, sparking hopes of a reset in the bilateral ties that came under severe strain after Washington doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent.

Trump said Modi is doing a tremendous job and thanked the prime minister for his support in ending the war in Ukraine.

Israeli PM Netanyahu on Wednesday wished Modi a happy birthday, calling him a "good friend."  "You've accomplished so much for India in your life, and we have together accomplished a great deal in the friendship between India and Israel," he said.

"I look forward to seeing you soon because we can bring our partnership and our friendship to even greater heights. Happy birthday, my friend," he said in a video posted by DD News on its X handle.

In a video message, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates wished the prime minister "good health and continued strength" as he leads India's "fantastic progress" and contributes to "global development."  The Gates Foundation values our partnership with the government of India immensely, he said.

"Together we are supporting progress towards Viksit Bharat and sharing lessons and innovations for the countries in the Global South," he added.

Indian-origin former UK prime minister Sunak said it was a "great pleasure to wish Prime Minister Modi a happy 75th birthday."  "In these uncertain times, we all need good friends, and Modi Ji has always been a good friend to me and to Britain. I'm delighted to see UK-India ties going from strength to strength," he said in a video message.

"As someone from a British-Indian family, this relationship will always have a special place in my heart," he said, adding that he will "fondly" remember his 2023 visit to India as the prime minister for the G20 summit.

"It was a superb event befitting India's standing on the world stage. Modiji, I wish you all the very best for your birthday and look forward to seeing you soon," he said.

Extending his greetings to Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his country is "proud to share such a strong friendship with India, and we are grateful every day for the contribution of the Indian community here in Australia.

Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay also wished PM Modi on his birthday, praying for his "good health, happiness and long life."  Other leaders, including New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon, Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing, President of Guyana Irfaan Ali, and the Prime Minister of Dominica Roosevelt Skerrit, also greeted Modi on his birthday.