Tribune News Service
New Delhi, May 23
Pakistan and China have offered to turn around their ties with India while congratulating PM Narendra Modi for his party’s sweeping victory in the General Election.
India’s old allies Russia and Japan, besides almost the entire neighbourhood, including Nepal, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, have also hailed Modi’s victory.
Pakistan PM Imran Khan congratulated PM Modi and tried to turn the chapter on the recent acrimony by observing that he looked forward to working with him for “peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia”.
Chinese President Xi Jinping issued an unusually detailed statement for the occasion in which he underlined the areas where he and PM Modi could work together to turn around ties. Xi also noted that both countries could build on their good coordination and cooperation on major issues to guide the development and direction of Sino-Indian relations by also enhancing political trust and undertaking pragmatic cooperation.
Some of PM Modi’s close allies called him up personally to convey their congratulations. The first to call him up was Japanese PM Abe Shinzo, who offered to work “hand in hand” towards strengthening ties and realising a free and open Indo-Pacific. The two leaders are scheduled to meet each other at the G20 Osaka Summit next month followed by a visit to India.
The newly elected Australian PM Scott Morrison, a firm proponent of the Quad grouping like Shinzo and Donald Trump to balance China in the Indo-Pacific, hoped to meet him again soon. Warm words also came from Nepal, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
Pak tests Shaheen-II, can hit Indian cities
Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday successfully test-fired a long-range ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and hitting targets as far as 1,500 kilometres away, bringing major Indian cities under its range. The announcement from Pakistan army came on a day when the ruling BJP returned to power in India for a second term. The army said the launch was successful and ended in the Arabian Sea.
Let’s work for peace: Imran
"I congratulate PM Modi on the electoral victory of BJP and allies. Look forward to working with him for peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia." — Imran Khan, Pak PM
from The Tribune http://bit.ly/2HxQNfs
via Today’s News Headlines
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