"Dear Mr. Prime Minister, please accept my heartfelt congratulations on your 75th birthday... I cherish our good and friendly relations. And we will, of course, continue our constructive dialogue and joint work on pressing issues on the bilateral, regional, and international agendas," the message published on the Kremlin website read.
By leading the Indian government, Modi earned the high respect of his compatriots and enormous authority in the world, Putin said, adding that under Modi's leadership, India has achieved impressive results in the social, economic, scientific, and technological spheres.
"You are making a significant personal contribution to strengthening the privileged strategic partnership between our countries and to developing mutually beneficial Russian-Indian cooperation in various areas," the message read.