Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated his 75th birthday on Wednesday, September 17, receiving an outpouring of wishes from world leaders and sparking reactions to a recent video involving a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) commander.
Several world leaders, including presidents and prime ministers, conveyed their birthday greetings to PM Modi through various channels, including video messages and social media posts. Leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, were among those who extended their well wishes. Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also joined in, referring to PM Modi as a "good friend".
Many leaders acknowledged PM Modi's leadership and vision for India, as well as his contributions to strengthening international partnerships. Albanese praised the Indian community's contribution to Australia and expressed eagerness to continue strengthening the friendship between the two countries. Netanyahu directly addressed PM Modi in his video message, lauding his accomplishments for India and the strengthened friendship between India and Israel. Christopher Luxon, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, conveyed his birthday wishes in Hindi, recognizing PM Modi's efforts to guide India towards becoming a developed country by 2047 and emphasizing New Zealand's desire to collaborate with India on security. Giorgia Meloni, the Italian Prime Minister, also shared a post with PM Modi on social media platform X, commending his strength, determination, and leadership.
In addition to the birthday wishes, PM Modi addressed a recent video that surfaced featuring a JeM commander. In the video, the commander admitted that Masood Azhar's family was "torn into pieces" during India's Operation Sindoor. Operation Sindoor was launched after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 25 tourists. PM Modi responded to the video during a rally, asserting that it demonstrates the emergence of a "new India" that "does not fear anyone's nuclear threats" and is prepared to strike terrorists within their own territory. He lauded the armed forces for their success in Operation Sindoor, stating that they brought Pakistan to its knees. He also referred to the Pakistani terrorist "tearfully narrating his ordeal".
PM Modi highlighted that the nation prioritizes the security of India, emphasizing that the armed forces destroyed terror camps in Operation Sindoor after Pakistani terrorists harmed Indian citizens. According to reports, Operation Sindoor involved strikes on nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including Bahawalpur. The JeM commander's admission contradicted earlier claims from Pakistan's military public relations wing, ISPR, which stated that civilians were killed in the operation. The JeM commander's confession also linked Jaish to the Delhi and Mumbai terror attacks and revealed that Pakistan's Balakot region had long served as the base for Masood Azhar's operations.
Furthermore, PM Modi expressed his gratitude to the world leaders who extended birthday greetings. He reaffirmed the strong bonds of friendship between India and various nations, expressing his commitment to further strengthening these partnerships.
