Italy Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he became India’s longest-serving elected Prime Minister, marking a major milestone in the country’s political history.
In a post on X, Meloni wrote in Italian, “Congratulations to Narendra Modi, who today becomes the longest-serving elected Prime Minister in India’s history.” She also referred to her recent interactions with Modi, highlighting ongoing diplomatic engagement between the two leaders.
According to details, Modi achieved the milestone on June 10, 2026, after completing 4,399 consecutive days in office as Prime Minister. The record places him ahead of earlier elected tenures of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru when he secured victory in the first general election.
Modi first took oath as Prime Minister on May 26, 2014, after the BJP secured a majority in the Lok Sabha elections. He returned to office after the 2019 general election and began a third consecutive term following the 2024 election.
Meloni also recalled her recent visit to Rome, where both leaders elevated bilateral ties to a Special Strategic Partnership aimed at expanding cooperation across key sectors. The two leaders reviewed progress under the India–Italy Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029 and agreed to deepen collaboration in trade, defence, energy, science and technology, artificial intelligence, space, education and cultural exchange.
The joint framework also outlines a target of 20 billion in bilateral trade by 2029, with focus sectors including semiconductors, automotive, energy, pharmaceuticals, critical raw materials, infrastructure and digital technologies.
Defence cooperation was another key area, with both sides agreeing on joint development and production of defence equipment, along with expanded industrial collaboration.
The leaders also discussed the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), reaffirming their commitment to advancing the connectivity initiative through coordinated efforts in 2026.
India and Italy first launched their Strategic Partnership in 2023, which was later expanded into a long-term framework during subsequent bilateral and multilateral engagements between the two countries.