New Delhi, Nov 17 (IANS): India Sunday congratulated the Maldives' president-elect Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and the people of the Indian Ocean archipelago nation on the successful completion of the presidential elections in a peaceful manner.

In a statement, the Indian government said it looks forward to cooperating with the new president and his government.

It said the high voter turn-out in every round of the presidential elections is "indicative of the strong desire and determination of the people of the Maldives to participate wholeheartedly in the process of choosing their president".

"We welcome the acceptance of the verdict of the people of Maldives by all sides and commitment expressed to take the country forward on the path of stability, progress and development," the statement said.

"India and the Maldives have traditionally maintained the closest ties of friendship and cooperation that extends to people-to-people contact, economic and developmental partnership and defence and security cooperation. India will continue to partner the Maldives in this endeavour and looks forward to cooperating closely with the new President and his government," it said further.

Abdulla Yameen is the half-brother of former Maldivian president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled the country for about three decades.

Yameen, from the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), won the run-off round of election narrowly, by polling about three per cent votes higher than his rival, Maldivian Democratic Party's Mohamed Nasheed.

Nasheed, Maldives' first democratically elected president, had to step down early 2012 in what he said was a coup.