Washington: US President Donald Trump has congratulated Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his recent Uttar Pradesh election victory.
Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party won an absolute majority in the northern state, home to 220 million people and seen as a bellwether of national politics.
The party on Saturday picked a controversial firebrand leader to head India’s most populous state.
Trump also congratulated German Chancellor Angela Merkel on a surprise local election win that bolstered her re-election bid.
The vote is seen as a positive sign for Merkel who in six months will ask Germans to give her a fourth term.
Earlier this month stark differences between Trump and Merkel were on full display during a tense visit to the White House.
“The president spoke with Chancellor Merkel and the Indian Prime Minister today to congratulate them on their party’s success in recent elections,” said White House spokesman Sean Spicer.
