Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated Naftali Bennett on being sworn in as Israel's new Prime Minister, and said he looked forward to meeting him and deepening their countries' strategic partnership as they celebrate 30 years of the upgradation of diplomatic ties next year.
Taking to Twitter, PM Modi said: "Excellency Naftali Bennett, congratulations on becoming the Prime Minister of Israel. As we celebrate 30 years of the upgradation of diplomatic relations next year, I look forward to meeting you and deepening the strategic partnership between our two countries."
In his tweets, PM Modi also conveyed his "profound gratitude" to Benjamin Netanyahu, whose long tenure as Israeli prime minister ended on Sunday.
"As you complete your successful tenure as the Prime Minister of the State of Israel, I convey my profound gratitude for your leadership and personal attention to India-Israel strategic partnership @netanyahu," PM Modi tweeted.
Naftali Bennett was on Sunday sworn in as Israel's new prime minister, ending Netanyahu's 12-year hold on power and the political uncertainty that gripped the Jewish nation for months after inconclusive elections.
Bennett, the 49-year-old leader of the right-wing Yamina party, took oath of office after the Knesset (Parliament) elected him as the 13th Prime Minister of Israel by approved with a razor-thin majority of 60-59 in the 120-member house. One lawmaker abstained. His government has 27 ministers, nine of them women.
The new government - an unprecedented coalition of ideologically divergent political parties drawn from the Right, the Left and the Centre, along with an Arab party - has a razor-thin majority in a 120-member house.
(With inputs from PTI)
