Nepal, Belgium extend birthday wishes to PM Modi; ex-Norwegian diplomat highlights India's key changes

New Delhi: Nepal and Belgium embassies in New Delhi on Thursday extended birthday greetings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, wishing him good health, happiness and continued success.

The Embassy of Nepal in India took to social media platform X to convey its greetings to the Prime Minister.

“Warm birthday greetings to Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi ji. Wishing you good health, happiness and continued success in the year ahead. May the close friendship between Nepal and India, and the bonds between our peoples, continue to deepen and flourish. Our warmest regards and best wishes on this special day,” the Embassy said.

The Embassy of Belgium in India also extended its greetings to Prime Minister Modi, posting, “Heartfelt birthday wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Belgium.”

Meanwhile, former Norwegian diplomat Erik Solheim also wished PM Modi and highlighted what he described as five major changes in India during the Modi government's tenure.

Erik Solheim, former Minister of Climate and the Environment of Norway, reflected on Prime Minister Modi’s political tenure and outlined five areas that, in his view, have undergone significant changes.

In a social media post, Solheim said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi turns 76 today - what has he achieved? A jubilee is an occasion to reflect on achievements. I have pondered over it.”

He identified “Direction” as the first major change, saying PM Modi had given India a new purpose through his leadership and emphasis on the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ or a developed India by 2047.

On infrastructure, Solheim said India had experienced high economic growth during former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s tenure as well, but argued that the Modi government had overseen a major expansion in roads, railways, airports and ports.

“25 Indian cities are now constructing metros. India is simply much better connected,” he said.

Solheim also highlighted the environment as another area of change. He said India had moved from being behind Europe on environmental issues to becoming the world’s second-largest solar market and third-largest renewable economy.

“Going green is not a pain, but an opportunity. Green is gold,” he said.

On global leadership, Solheim said India had played an important role in the Non-Aligned Movement during Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s tenure, but claimed that PM Modi had taken India’s global role to a “new level”.

He cited India’s leadership of the G20 and BRICS and said the country had become more visible and influential internationally.

The fifth area identified by Solheim was “Pride”. He said PM Modi had contributed to a renewed sense of pride in India by emphasising Indian traditions, history and cultural heritage.

"No leader of any nation incarnates his nation the way Modi incarnates India - wearing Indian traditional clothes, speaking Hindi, radiating pride in Bharat, showcasing India as a civilisational state," he added.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

IANS

[email protected]