New Delhi: The South Korean president, Lee Jae-myung, on Wednesday congratulated the prime minister, Narendra Modi, on completing 25 years as head of government. He said he was looking forward to meeting him again in Seoul.
In his message, Lee said Modi had dedicated himself to improving people's lives since taking office as Gujarat chief minister on the same day in 2001. He credited India's steady progress to manufacturing growth and infrastructure development, and said the country had shown resilience through various challenges. These achievements, Lee said, were a source of pride for Indians and a base for expanding India's global role.
Describing the two nations as Special Strategic Partners, Lee said they were shaping a future of growth and innovation together.
South Korea would keep supporting businesses and young people in both countries, he said, to bring to fruition the shared vision set out in New Delhi in April.
He wished Modi good health and conveyed the friendship of the Korean people to India.
Other leaders join in
Japan's prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, congratulated Modi and said she would work more closely with him to realize a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.
Nigeria's president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, called the milestone a rare achievement in any democracy.
Belgium's prime minister, Bart De Wever, congratulated Modi on 25 years of continuous leadership "from Gujarat to New Delhi" and spoke of deepening ties between the two countries.
The Philippines president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, praised Modi's focus on good governance, technology, infrastructure and development.
Bhutan's prime minister, Tshering Tobgay, and Dominica's prime minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, also sent greetings. Modi thanked the leaders in posts on X, reiterating India's commitment to wider bilateral cooperation and partnerships.
Background
Modi took the oath as Gujarat chief minister on October 7, 2001. He has said he was given the responsibility in testing circumstances: the state was recovering from a major earthquake and a super cyclone, and had faced successive droughts and political instability.
He led Gujarat until 2014, when he became prime minister, and has headed the Union government since.
The Union Cabinet adopted a resolution on Tuesday to felicitate him on 25 uninterrupted years of executive leadership.
Earlier, on his 76th birthday on September 17, President Droupadi Murmu said he had set new benchmarks of good governance in his years as chief minister and prime minister.
India and South Korea upgraded their ties to a Special Strategic Partnership in 2015.
Modi congratulated Lee when he was elected president in June 2025 and promised to expand the partnership further.
