Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated United States President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday after the tycoon-turned-politician pulled off an upset victory.
Modi said he appreciated the friendship Trump articulated towards India during his campaign.
Read: Trump towers over White House challenge, Hillary goes downhill
“We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height.”
Trump won the presidential polls – both by electoral college votes and popular votes – in a surprisingly decisive victory over his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.
{{/usCountry}}Trump won the presidential polls – both by electoral college votes and popular votes – in a surprisingly decisive victory over his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.
{{/usCountry}}Trump won most of the battleground states and carried traditionally Republican states with huge margins – the spread and depth of his appeal leaving even seasoned pollsters flummoxed.
Watch: Trump’s best quotes from the election campaign
During his campaign, he had called India a “key strategic” and “natural” ally, and promised Indian Americans that he would take bilateral ties to a new high if made US president, and even boost intelligence sharing in the fight against terrorism.
Follow our live coverage of the US election
“No relationship will be more important” and the two countries will be “best friends”, he hadf told a gathering of the Indian diaspora at an event sponsored by the Republican Hindu Coalition (RHC) to raise money for victims of terrorism.
Started in 2015, the RHC is modelled on the powerful Republican Jewish Coalition, and was launched by Chicago businessman Shalabh “Shalli” Kumar.
Trump then had spoke glowingly of Modi -- a “great man”, whose “energetic” bureaucratic reforms he would like to emulate -- high praise from man known for disparaging rivals.