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Modi quick on Twitter diplomacy, slow to mention US

While Canadian PM Stephan Harper has had two mentions and Russian President Putin received warm words on Monday, Modi conspicuously made no reference at all to the leaders of the world's superpower.

Updated on: May 19, 2014 06:30 PM IST
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Prime minister-elect Narendra Modi has taken to Twitter to thank fellow leaders in Japan, Russia, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Australia for their support, but one man still waiting for a reply is US Secretary of State John Kerry.

While Canadian Prime Minister Stephan Harper has had two mentions and Russian President Putin received warm words on Monday, Modi has conspicuously made no reference at all to the leaders of the world's superpower.


Kerry tweeted congratulations to Modi on Friday after a landslide win for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying he looked forward to "growing shared prosperity/security".


US President Barack Obama telephoned Modi but is yet to comment in person. He had warm words for Modi's predecessor on Saturday, however.

As Manmohan Singh left office after 10 years in power, Obama called to tell him that that there were "very few people in public life that I have admired or appreciated more."

Modi has displayed no rancour publicly about his treatment by Washington, telling an interviewer earlier this month that foreign relations "should not and cannot be influenced by incidents related to individuals".

But analysts are looking closely at how the world's biggest democracies embrace each other with Modi at the helm and following a highly damaging spat over the arrest of an Indian diplomat in New York in December.

Modi, writing on Twitter to his 4.19 million followers, addressed a message to Russian President Putin on Monday saying that he looked forward "to making our relations with Russia even stronger in the years to come."

Japanese premier Shinzo Abe meanwhile was thanked for his good wishes.


"Personally, I have a wonderful experience of working with Japan as CM (chief minister). I am sure we will take India-Japan ties to newer heights," he wrote.

British Prime Minister David Cameron sent a message of congratulations on Friday which was acknowledged by Modi the day after. His country had also boycotted the BJP leader in the past.

"Hoping to further strengthen India-UK relations," Modi wrote.

 
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