Uruguay's Ambassador to India, Alberto Antonio Guani Amarilla, on Thursday, 17 September 2026, extended birthday wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 76th birthday, praising his 'strong leadership' and describing him as a 'very positive influence' on the world stage. The remarks came as India marked the occasion of the Prime Minister completing 25 years in public life.

What the Ambassador Said

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Ambassador Amarilla highlighted Modi's consistent vision of development and well-being, tracing it back to his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat. 'We think that his vision of development, his vision of how to create well-being among countries. It's a very important aspect that Prime Minister Modi has intended to spread throughout all the other members of BRICS. And India is an example in many ways, and we think that his strong leadership has really made the difference,' Amarilla said.

He further conveyed warm wishes on behalf of Uruguay: 'We are very happy. We hope he has a great celebration. As our foreign minister said recently, we very much need him. He is a very positive influence. So, we wish him all the very best and that we keep celebrating many, many more birthdays and having him as the great leader that he is.'

Modi as a Global Mediator

Ambassador Amarilla also acknowledged Modi's role in international diplomacy, particularly his efforts toward ending the conflict in Ukraine. 'The way Prime Minister Modi sees the world... It has really changed because he has put India also as a mediator. Unfortunately, there are so many conflicts. He has also been very positive now in his conversations with the leaders of Russia in the need to stop the war,' he said. The remarks position India — under Modi's leadership — as an emerging neutral voice in geopolitical crises, a role that has gained increasing recognition from partner nations.

25 Years in Public Life

Prime Minister Modi was born on 17 September 1950 in Vadnagar, Gujarat. He has served as Prime Minister since 26 May 2014, currently in his third consecutive term, making him the longest-serving elected Prime Minister of India. Prior to that, he served as Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014. This year marks 25 years of his continuous public service at the highest levels of governance.

Commenting on the milestone, Amarilla said: 'That proves he's a very experienced person. He has had strong leadership in his state, Gujarat. Of course, he has also translated that well-doing, I would say, to the rest of India by his position as Prime Minister and we're sure that he is very conscious of his responsibilities and we really applaud him because we really think he's a very positive influence.'

BRICS Context

The birthday wishes come just days after India, as BRICS Chair in 2026, hosted the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi from 12 to 13 September. The summit brought together leaders from the 11-member BRICS bloc — comprising Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates — alongside partner countries and outreach invitees. Uruguay is among the BRICS partner nations, lending added significance to Amarilla's remarks. As India prepares to consolidate its post-summit diplomatic gains, international goodwill toward its leadership remains a visible undercurrent.