The embassies of Nepal and Belgium in New Delhi extended birthday greetings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, 17 September, as the Prime Minister turned 76. The diplomatic wishes were accompanied by a detailed reflection from former Norwegian diplomat Erik Solheim, who outlined what he described as five significant transformations in India under the Modi government.

Diplomatic Birthday Wishes

The Embassy of Nepal in India conveyed its greetings through a post on social media platform X, saying: 'Warm birthday greetings to Hon'ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi ji. Wishing you good health, happiness and continued success in the year ahead. May the close friendship between Nepal and India, and the bonds between our peoples, continue to deepen and flourish.'

The Embassy of Belgium in India also joined in, posting: 'Heartfelt birthday wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Belgium.' The greetings reflect the diplomatic warmth India maintains with its bilateral partners across Europe and South Asia.

Erik Solheim's Five-Point Assessment

Former Norwegian Minister of Climate and the Environment and diplomat Erik Solheim used the occasion to assess Modi's political tenure. In a post on social media, Solheim wrote: 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi turns 76 today — what has he achieved? A jubilee is an occasion to reflect on achievements. I have pondered over it.'

Solheim identified Direction as the first change, noting that Modi had given India a renewed sense of purpose through his emphasis on 'Viksit Bharat' — a vision of a developed India by 2047.

Infrastructure and Connectivity

On infrastructure, Solheim acknowledged that India had experienced high economic growth under former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as well, but argued that the Modi government had overseen a major expansion in roads, railways, airports, and ports. He noted that 25 Indian cities are currently constructing metro rail systems. 'India is simply much better connected,' he said.

Green Economy and Global Standing

Solheim pointed to the environment as a third area of change. According to his assessment, India has shifted from lagging behind Europe on environmental issues to becoming the world's second-largest solar market and the third-largest renewable energy economy. 'Going green is not a pain, but an opportunity. Green is gold,' Solheim said.

On global leadership, Solheim argued that while India played a key role in the Non-Aligned Movement under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Modi had taken India's international role to a 'new level'. He cited India's presidency of the G20 and its growing influence within BRICS as evidence of heightened global visibility.

Cultural Pride as a Fifth Dimension

The fifth change Solheim highlighted was Pride — a renewed sense of national identity, he argued, driven by Modi's emphasis on Indian traditions, history, and cultural heritage. 'No leader of any nation incarnates his nation the way Modi incarnates India — wearing Indian traditional clothes, speaking Hindi, radiating pride in Bharat, showcasing India as a civilisational state,' Solheim wrote. Notably, Solheim's views represent a personal perspective and do not constitute an official Norwegian government position.

The birthday reflections come as India continues to navigate complex foreign policy dynamics, and the diplomatic outreach from Nepal and Belgium underscores Modi's continued international profile as he enters his 77th year.