Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Joe Biden after he was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States. Biden, 78, became the oldest US president in history at a scaled-back ceremony in Washington due to the coronavirus crisis and security concerns following the January 6 storming of the US Capitol.

In a series of tweets, Modi said he looked forward to working with Biden to strengthen the strategic partnership between India and the United States.

“My warmest congratulations to Joe Biden on his assumption of office as President of the United States of America,” Modi wrote. “I look forward to working with him to strengthen India-US strategic partnership. My best wishes for a successful term in leading USA as we stand united and resilient in addressing common challenges and advancing global peace and security.”

The Indian prime minister said the ties between the two countries was “based on shared values”. “We have a substantial and multifaceted bilateral agenda, growing economic engagement and vibrant people to people linkages,” he tweeted. “Committed to working with President Joe Biden to take the India-US partnership to even greater heights.”

Along with Biden, Kamala Harris also took oath and became the first woman vice president of the United States. A daughter of Jamaican-Indian immigrant parents, Harris’s election is historic in many aspects. She is not only the first woman to occupy the prestigious office but also the first woman of colour and the first woman of South Asian descent to become the vice president of the US.