New Delhi, Sep 10 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store on his re-election. In his congratulatory message, PM Modi stated that he is looking forward to working closely with Store to further strengthen partnership between both nations.

"Congratulations to Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store on his re-election. I look forward to continue working closely together to further strengthen the India-Norway partnership in all areas," PM Modi wrote in a post on X.

PM Modi's statement comes after Norway's Labour Party led by Store secured win in the General Election on Monday. Norway's centre-left bloc claimed victory despite the anti-immigration Progress Party recording surge in support.

The country's five-party left-wing bloc won a narrow majority by grabbing 87 of the 169 seats.while the centre-right alliance, led by the Progress Party and Conservatives, holding 82 seats.

Store thanked his supporters and said the win showcased that it was possible for Social Democratic parties to secure win in elections in Europe, Euro News reported

PM Modi met Store on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro last year as the two leaders took stock of the progress in bilateral relations and discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation in various fields.

In a statement, Prime Minister's Office had stated, "Noting that the signing of the India-European Free Trade Association-Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (India-EFTA-TEPA) was an important milestone in bilateral relations, the two leaders reaffirmed its significance for attracting greater investments into India from EFTA countries, including Norway."

PM Modi and Jonas Gahr Store had also discussed regional and international issues of mutual interest. The statement said, "Bilateral discussions also focused on enhancing cooperation in areas like blue economy, renewable energy, green hydrogen, solar and wind projects, geo-thermal energy, green shipping, Carbon Capture Utilization & Storage (CCUS), fisheries, space and the Arctic."

/IANS