PM Modi congratulates new President Htin Kyaw of Myanmar

New Delhi, Mar 15 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated U Htin Kyaw on being elected as the first civilian President of Myanmar in decades and conveyed his desire to work with him to strengthen the bilateral ties.

"Congratulations and best wishes to U Htin Kyaw on being elected President of Myanmar! Will work together to strengthen India-Myanmar ties," Modi tweeted.

His greetings came soon after Myanmar's lawmakers elected 69-year-old Htin Kyaw, a close aide and longtime friend of Aung San Suu Kyi to become the country's first civilian President in decades during which military ruled the nation.

MPs erupted into applause after victory was announced following a lengthy ballot count by hand in the capital Naypyidaw in which Htin Kyaw took 360 of 652 votes cast.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won a thumping victory in the polls in November last, allowing her party to dominate Myanmar's two legislative houses.

But the military remains a powerful force in the Southeast Asian nation and has refused to change a clause in the junta-era constitution that bars Suu Kyi from top political office.