After Modi’s election win, China calls for ‘stable’ relations with India

ISTANBUL

China on Wednesday called for “stable” relations with India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed third term win in general elections, state media reported.

“A sound and stable China-India relationship serves the common interests of both sides and is conducive to peace and development of the region and the world at large,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters in Beijing.

Modi on Tuesday evening claimed a win for the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the seven-phased general elections.

According to official results, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 240 seats in the 543-member lower house of parliament, while the main opposition Indian National Congress got 99 seats.

The BJP, however, remained short of the 272-seat majority on its own.

Tuesday's results, however, showed the NDA alliance won over 272 seats, the number required to form the government, while the opposition alliance secured over 230 seats.

Felicitating Modi on his win, Mao said: “China is ready to work with India to proceed from the fundamental interests of the two countries and the two peoples, bear in mind the overall situation and the future, and steer the development of bilateral relations on a healthy and stable track.”

India and China have counterclaims in Arunachal Pradesh state of the South Asian nation while the two Himalayan neighbors are engaged in a border tussle in the Ladakh area of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir.