MOSCOW, January 26 (RIA Novosti) - Vladimir Putin has congratulated the Indian leadership on the country's national holiday, Republic Day, the Kremlin press service said Thursday.

"Our countries have been traditionally linked by relations of friendship, trust and mutual respect. I am convinced this is a reliable basis for further developing Russian-Indian partnership, which serves the long-term national interests of the two countries, and is an important factor in ensuring international stability," Putin said in his message to Indian President Abdul Kalam.