Look forward to work closely with Macron: Modi congratulates new French prez

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated Emmanuel Macron on being elected as the President of France and said he looked forward to working closely with him to further strengthen the bilateral relations.

"Congratulations to @Emmanuel Macron for an emphatic victory in the French Presidential election. #Presidentielle2017," Modi tweeted.

"I look forward to working closely with President-elect @EmmanuelMacron to further strengthen India-France ties," he added.

Macron, 39, defeating Marine Le Pen on Sunday, created history by becoming the youngest president in the 59-year history of the French Fifth Republic.

Macron's victory marked the third time in six months -- following elections in Austria and the Netherlands – that European voters shot down far-right populists who wanted to restore borders across Europe.