Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and new U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
New Delhi
Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday congratulated new UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and said that his taking over the office is a "matter of pride" for Indians.
Calling India-British relations "very special", Gandhi hoped for further deepening of ties between the two countries during his tenure. A letter by the Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson duly signed by Gandhi, read, "I am delighted at your taking over as Prime Minister of Great Britain. It is certainly a matter of pride for all of us in India. India-British relations have always been very special and I am confident that they will be further deepened during your tenure."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday greeted Rishi Sunak following his election as leader of the Conservative Party and the next British Prime Minister.
"Warmest congratulations @RishiSunak! As you become UK PM, I look forward to working closely together on global issues and implementing Roadmap 2030. Special Diwali wishes to the 'living bridge' of U.K. Indians, as we transform our historic ties into a modern partnership," tweeted PM Modi.
Indian MP and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday called Rishi Sunak's appointment as the UK Prime Minister an "astonishing" development.
"It's extraordinary at multiple levels. You can see that Britain has outgrown their racism, shown tremendous willingness to absorb; admit people of other religious faiths & on top of that they've looked at their merit," he said.
Sunak is now the U.K.'s 57th prime minister after being asked to form a government by King Charles III. He is the third prime minister this year and will enter Downing Street as the youngest PM in two centuries.
