LONDON, Aug 14: World leaders today lauded India for achieving all-round development since Independence and said this would enhance New Delhi's role and authority in world affairs.

In their congratulatory messages to Indian leaders and the people on the occasion of golden jubilee celebrations of the country's independence they expressed the hope that in the coming years the country would make substantial achievements.

Wishing peace and prosperity to the ``friendly'' and ``great'' Indian people, Russian President Boris Yeltsin said the five post-Independence decades have witnessed all-round development of full-scale and mutually beneficial Russia-India cooperation.

In his message to President K R Narayanan and Prime Minister I K Gujral, Yeltsin said relations between the two countries have ``deep and strong roots and are imbued with invariable warmth and mutual trust.''

Commending the India-South Africa bilateral cooperation, President Nelson Mandela said ``The ties are bound to consolidate into a partnership of strategic value and India has made a significant contribution to our economic and cultural life.''

British Prime Minister Tony Blair in his congratulatory message said, ``As two independent nations, I want to use the history between our two countries, to build a solid and great future for both of us. We look forward enormously to working with India in the years to come... To build ever-closer links between our two countries.''

In a separate message to Gujral, Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin noted that during the last 50 years, India has transformed into a country with ``strong institutes of democracy and powerful industrial potential'' and is ``one of the authoritative participants in international relations.''

Chinese vice foreign minister Tang Jiaxuan expressed his country's resolve to promote peace and stability in its relations with India and settle the vexed boundary dispute through peaceful negotiations.

``We congratulate India on the important achievements made by the Indian people in national construction in the past 50 years and we wish India and the Indian people will have substantial achievements in the coming years,'' he said.

Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer commended India's efforts to deliver economic prosperity to its population and for taking decisions in the past few years to reform its economy and participate more fully as a member of the global community of trading nations.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in a message President Narayanan, congratulated India on its 50th Independence Day, a report from Cairo said.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.