Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated Russian president Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin for winning a second consecutive six-year long term as the President of the Russian Federation.

Putin, who had also been the Prime Minister of Russia on two earlier terms, had been the president of Russia since 2012. Central Elections Commission in Moscow said yesterday that Putin won a whopping 76.7% of the votes polled in which 99.8% of the country’s precincts reported.  It may be recalled that Putin received less than 65% of the votes polled in 2012. This time, though, he coasted to an easy victory over his nearest rival and Communist Party’s candidate Pavel Grudinin who received 11.8% votes while ultranationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky received a mere 5.7%.

Russia voted on 18th March (last Thursday) to give the 65-year old Putin yet another 6-year term as President. Putin contested the 2012 polls as President as he can’t hold the post of Prime Minister on more than two occasions under existing laws.

Speaking to Putin over hotline from New Delhi, Prime Minister Modi expressed his good wishes to the newly-elected President of Russia and congratulated him for his awesome victory. The Prime Minister, who exuded confidence that Putin’s win would further strengthen the already strong ties between the two countries, also invited Putin to visit India sometime in future.