PM Modi gets Russia's top honour for promoting bilateral relations

New Delhi: In yet another top foreign honour, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Friday awarded the Order of St Andrew the Apostle, the highest state decoration of Russia, for promoting deeper cooperation between India and Russia.

President Vladimir Putin signed an executive order conferring the award on Mr Modi., the Russian government said.

“On April 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was decorated with the Order of St Andrew the Apostle — the highest state decoration of Russia — for exceptional services in promoting special and privileged strategic partnership between the Russian Federation and the Republic of India and friendly relations between the Russian and Indian peoples.”

According to news agency reports, the foreign awardees of the award have included President of China Xi Jinping, and (then) President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev. The award ceremony is usually held at the St Andrew Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace.

The Order was reportedly established in 1698 by Tsar Peter the Great, in honour of Saint Andrew, the first apostle of Jesus and patron saint of Russia.

Recently, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had decided to confer the country’s highest civilian award “The Order of Zayed” on Mr Modi as a recognition for his leadership to develop strategic partnership between India and the UAE.

Mr Modi had in February received the Seoul Peace Prize for 2018 in South Korea in “recognition of his dedication to improving international cooperation, raising global economic growth, accelerating the human development of the people of India.”

In April 2016, Mr Modi was given Saudi Arabia’s highest civilian honour, the King Abdulaziz Sash.