Ex-President Ranil joins world leaders to wish Indian PM Modi on his 75th birthday

Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe joined a number of world leaders including US President Donald Trump, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in sending warm wishes to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he turned 75 today (17).

Former President Wickremesinghe extended his well wishes through his official X account (formally twitter).

The former President said “Warmest birthday wishes to my good friend, Prime Minister @narendramodi. May you be blessed with good health, strength, and continued wisdom.”

US President Donald Trump called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to wish him happy birthday after weeks of tension over trade tariffs.

The phone call on Wednesday, a day before Modi turns 75, is seen as a sign of thawing ties and followed talks between the two sides on reaching a trade agreement, which both sides called “positive”.

Trump posted later on X saying Modi was doing a “tremendous job” and thanked him for support on “ending the Russia-Ukraine war”. Modi called him a “friend” and said the two were “committed” to taking their partnership to new heights.

It was the first call between the two since the US imposed punishing tariffs on India last month for purchasing Russian oil.

In response, Modi had echoed Trump’s optimism that the talks would be successful and said the two countries were “close friends and natural partners.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is celebrating his 75th birthday today. He was born on September 17, 1950 in Vadnagar, a small town in North Gujarat’s Mehsana district.