KARACHI / NEW DELHI

India and Pakistan congratulated Donald Trump on Wednesday for winning the US presidential election.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephone conversation with Trump to congratulate him.

“Looking forward to working closely together once again to further strengthen India-US relations across technology, defence, energy, space and several other sectors,” Modi wrote on X after speaking to the US president-elect.

Earlier, Modi said in a message to Trump: "Together, let’s work for the betterment of our people and to promote global peace, stability and prosperity."

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged a "further" strengthening of the US-Pakistan partnership.

"Congratulations to President-elect Donald Trump on his historic victory for a second term! I look forward to working closely with the incoming Administration to further strengthen and broaden the Pakistan-U.S. partnership," Sharif wrote on X.

Afghanistan expressed hope that there would be concrete progress in relations between the two countries and that both would be able to open a new chapter of relations in light of mutual interaction.

"It is expected that Mr. Trump will play a constructive role in ending the current war in the region and the world, especially in Gaza and Lebanon."

Noting the 2020 Doha peace deal signed during the previous Trump administration, which ended the 20-year-long "occupation" of Afghanistan, Balkhi said Kabul hopes the future administration in Washington will take "realistic" steps in the light of a "balanced" foreign policy so that there could be a "solid" development, vis-a-vis relations, between the two countries.

Trump beat Democratic candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris in the race to reach 277 Electoral College after he notched pivotal wins in Georgia and North Carolina.