PM Modi congratulates Japan's new prime minister Yoshihide Suga

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today congratulated Japan's new prime minister Yoshihide Suga on his appointment. Yoshihide Suga was formally elected as Japan's new prime minister in a parliamentary vote today. Suga is replacing Shinzo Abe, who resigned earlier in the day because of ill health.

Taking to Twitter, PM Modi said that he looks forward to working with him and taking their global partnership to new heights.

"Heartiest congratulations to



Excellency Yoshihide Suga on the appointment as Prime Minister of Japan. I look forward to jointly taking our Special Strategic and Global Partnership to new heights," PM Modi tweeted.

Suga, who was chief Cabinet secretary and long seen as Abe's right-hand man, is to launch his own Cabinet later today.

Suga has stressed his background as a farmer's son and a self-made politician in promising to serve the interests of ordinary people and rural communities.