New Delhi [India], July 9 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on being conferred with Russia’s highest civilian award the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle in Moscow.
PM Modi was ceremoniously presented with the Order of St Andrew the Apostle the First-Called, Russia’s highest civilian honour, at St Catherine’s Hall of the Moscow Kremlin on Tuesday.
“Congratulations to PM Narendra Modi on being conferred with Russia’s highest civilian award, the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle, today. This is a glorious honour to the nation, which stands as a testament to the formidable stature attained by Bharat in the global arena under the leadership of PM Modi. The new award in the list of global accolades garnered by PM Modi over the last ten years not only boosts every Indian’s pride but also immortalises the India-Russia friendship,” Amit Shah posted on X.
BJP MP and National Spokesperson, Sudhanshu Trivedi said that this is proof of the prestige, dignity and honour that India has received globally under PM Modi’s leadership.
“Today, PM Narendra Modi received Russia’s highest civilian honour. He has said that this honour is not just the Prime Minister’s alone but that of 140 crore citizens. It is a matter of even greater joy for the 140 crore citizens that PM Narendra Modi is the first Head of the State of India who has been conferred the highest civilian awards of France, Egypt, Bhutan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, besides the highest civilian honour of Russia… I think this is proof of the prestige, dignity and honour that India has received globally, under the leadership of PM Modi,” Trivedi said.
Notably, the award was bestowed on PM Modi in the year 2019, but he received it physically today.
Russian President Vladimir Putin presented the award to PM Modi, for his distinguished contribution to the development of a privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India and friendly ties between the two countries.
“It is a testimony to Russia’s sincere gratitude to the sincere contribution you are making to strengthening friendship and mutual understanding between our nations…you have always advocated broader contacts with our country. Back when you were Chief Minister of Gujarat, you came up with the initiative of twinning your state with Russian regions,” President Putin said while conferring the award.
“Dear friend, from the bottom of my heart, I would like to congratulate you for this highest Russian award and wish you good health, success and all the best. To the friendly people of India, I wish peace and prosperity,” he added.
He also highlighted Prime Minister Modi’s role in elevating India-Russia ties to the level of strategic partnership and said both nations are working for global and regional security.
“You have been at the helm of the Indian government for 10 years. You have genuinely strived to elevate the Russian-Indian relation to the level of special and privileged strategic partnership. With your direct support, Russia and India are implementing large-scale trade, economic…nuclear and hydrocarbon energy in high-tech and space exploration,” Putin said.
He added, “Your contribution to building a resilient framework for Russian-Indian cooperation in the international arena, where both of our nations are defending the principles of multipolarity…working for the sake of stability, global and regional security, and working closely within the BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.”
The Order was established in 1698 by Tsar Peter the Great, in honour of Saint Andrew, the first apostle of Jesus and patron saint of Russia. It is only awarded for the most outstanding civilian or military merit.
The Russian Embassy in India had in 2019 said, “On April 12, @narendramodi was decorated with the Order of St Andrew the Apostle for exceptional services in promoting special & privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India and friendly relations between the Russian and Indian peoples. @mfa_russia @MEAIndia @IndEmbMoscow”.
The Russian President then appreciated PM Modi on being conferred the award and recalled his outstanding achievements in promoting partnership with Russia
“Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the Order of St Andrew for outstanding achievements in promoting partnership with Russia,” he stated on X.
To this, PM Modi replied that the foundation of the friendship between the two countries is deep and the future of the partnership is bright.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is on an official visit to Russia. He held a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.
Notably, PM Modi and Putin have met 16 times over the past 10 years. The last in-person meeting between the two leaders took place on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand in 2022. (ANI)
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