Kathmandu, June 10 (IANS) Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Wednesday extended his congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on becoming India’s longest-serving elected Prime Minister, describing the milestone as a “landmark achievement”.

In a message posted on social media platform X, Shah said: “Warmest congratulations to Narendra Modi ji on your landmark achievement as India’s longest-serving elected PM. Wishing you good health and continued progress and prosperity for the people of India.”

The Nepali Prime Minister also underscored the importance of bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries, saying: “We deeply value our ties and look forward to further strengthening them.”

Prime Minister Modi reached the historic milestone after surpassing the elected tenure of Independent India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Prime Minister Modi took the oath of office on May 26, 2014. He has now surpassed the record of Nehru, who first took the oath as an elected Prime Minister on May 13, 1952, and served until May 27, 1964.

Nehru’s tenure as an elected Prime Minister amounted to 4,398 days.

From May 26, 2014, to June 10, 2026, PM Modi’s uninterrupted tenure has reached 4,399 days, making him the longest-serving elected Prime Minister in India’s history.

Prime Minister Modi has completed more than 12 years in office through consecutive electoral mandates, becoming the longest-serving Prime Minister elected by the people of India.

He remains the second-longest-serving Prime Minister in India’s history overall, after Jawaharlal Nehru, who served as India’s Prime Minister from 1947, before the country’s first general elections were held in 1952.

Under PM Modi’s leadership, India has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies and has sought to expand its regional and global influence through initiatives in infrastructure, digital governance, manufacturing and foreign policy.

Nepal and India share close historical, cultural, economic and people-to-people ties. The two countries maintain extensive cooperation in trade, connectivity, energy, hydropower development, education and cross-border infrastructure projects.

Nepali Prime Minister’s congratulatory message comes amid ongoing efforts by Kathmandu and New Delhi to deepen cooperation following the formation of the new government in Nepal under Balendra Shah’s leadership in late March.

Earlier this month, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Sishir Khanal visited India, during which both sides held discussions on and signed a number of agreements on bilateral cooperation.

–IANS

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