Donald Trump wins: Modi, Putin, other world leaders congratulate him, hope for 'better ties'

On Tuesday night Republican candidate Donald Trump won the 2016 US presidential elections to become the president-elect of America. Various world leaders congratulated him on his victory and spoke of their support for his presidency. India Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Donald Trump on his win in the US presidential election 2016. Modi, in a series of tweets, said that he is looking forward to working with him, ’to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height'.

We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height. @realDonaldTrump

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016

We appreciate the friendship you have articulated towards India during your campaign, @realDonaldTrump.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016

More from US Election 2016

US election: President-elect Donald Trump's actions and inactions will change the world as we know it Donald Trump victory spooks Indian students as election backlash rocks US campuses

Congratulations @realDonaldTrump on being elected as the 45th US President.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016

Russia Russian President Vladimir Putin sent Donald Trump a telegram of congratulation on winning the US presidential election. In a brief statement on Wednesday, the Kremlin said Putin expressed “his hope to work together for removing Russian-American relations from their crisis state.” Putin also said he has “confidence that building a constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington that is based on principles of equality, mutual respect and a real accounting each other’s positions, in the interests of our peoples and the world community.” Russia’s lower house of parliament is applauding the election of Donald Trump as the next US president. State news agency RIA-Novosti says Vyacheslav Novikov, a member of the foreign affairs committee from the governing United Russia party, addressed the State Duma on Wednesday morning. Novikov said that “Three minutes ago, Hillary Clinton acknowledged her defeat in the US presidential elections and just a second ago, Trump began his speech as president-elect. I congratulate all of you on this.” The chamber, where the pro-Kremlin party holds an overwhelming majority, then broke into applause, the report said. [caption id=“attachment_3096920” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A file photo of Donald Trump. AFP[/caption] Japan Japan is sending a top official to Washington to try to meet with those who will be responsible for the next White House administration. Katsuyuki Kawai, a political aide to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and in charge of diplomacy, told reporters after meeting with Abe that he had been instructed to visit Washington as early as next week. Abe’s instruction came when results showed Republican candidate Donald Trump with a clear lead. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said it was not because Japan was unprepared for Trump’s win. He said: “We have been preparing so that we can respond to any situation because our stance is that our alliance with the US remains to be the cornerstone of our diplomacy whoever becomes the next president.” Palestine A top Palestinian official says he doesn’t expect US positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to change under President-elect Donald Trump. Saeb Erekat, an adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said the Republican and Democratic parties are both committed to a two-state solution of the conflict. The Palestinians want to establish a state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, lands Israel captured in 1967. Gaps between Abbas and Israel’s hawkish leader on any border deal remain wide. Erekat said on Wednesday that a two-state solution is “in the American national interest, and I think this will not change with the coming administration.” However, Trump has proposed moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem, even though the US has not recognized Israel’s annexation of parts of the city. Turkey Turkey’s justice minister says a change of presidents in the United States won’t make a big difference to the “deep-rooted” relations between the two countries. Bekiz Bozdag told the state-run Anadolu Agency on Wednesday: “In essence, our relations are relations between two states and we hope that under the new presidential term the Turkish-US relations will be much better. That is our expectation.” Bozdag noted that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s win came despite intense campaigning in favor of his rival Hillary Clinton. “I saw an intense campaign for Hillary Clinton’s victory. Artists, sportsmen, all personalities worked for Clinton’s victory. But in elections, it is important to embrace the people,” Bozdag said. “No one has won elections through newspaper headlines, opinion polls or television (campaigns).” Netherlands Dutch anti-Islam populist lawmaker Geert Wilders has tweeted his congratulations to Donald Trump. Wilders, whose Freedom Party is riding high in opinion polls ahead of Dutch elections due in March, calls Trump’s win in the presidential election “A historic victory! A revolution.” Looking ahead to the Dutch vote, Wilders finished his tweet: “We also will give our country back to the people of the Netherlands.” Wilders is known for his strident anti-Islam rhetoric and opposition to the Netherlands’ European Union membership. Hungary Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban congratulated US President-Elect Donald Trump on his election victory on Wednesday, with the words “What a great news. Democracy is still alive” posted on his Facebook page. Orban said in July that Trump’s plans on migration and foreign policy were “vital” for Hungary, whereas those of rival Democrat Hillary Clinton were “deadly”. Orban was then the first European head of state to express a clear preference for either of the two candidates. Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Prime Minsiter Ranil Wickremesinghe tweeted his congratulations to Donald Trump.

Congratulations to President Elect @realDonaldTrump for this historic win. Your path to the White House has indeed been truly remarkable. pic.twitter.com/i7IdH5DyKH

— Ranil Wickremesinghe (@RW_SRILANKA) November 9, 2016