Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Credit: PTI File Photo
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been conferred with the highest national awards of 14 countries since 2014 in recognition of his leadership at bilateral, regional, and global levels, the government said in Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, replying to a question, also referred to Modi receiving the highest environmental award of the United Nations in 2018.
"Since 2014, the prime minister of India has received the highest national awards of 14 countries and the highest environmental award of the UN," he said.
"Conferring the highest awards on the prime minister of India is a clear recognition of his statesmanship and leadership at bilateral, regional and global levels," Muraleedharan said.
"It also reflects a recognition of India under the PM's leadership, including in giving voice to the Global South on the world stage, and approaching issues confronted by humanity through dialogue and diplomacy," he added.
The minister listed several notable awards conferred on Modi which included the State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan by Afghanistan in 2016, the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine by Palestine in February 2018, the UN Champion of the Earth Award by the UN in October 2018, the Order of Zayed by UAE in April 2019, and the Order of St Andrew by Russia in April 2019.
Muraleedharan also mentioned Modi receiving the Order of the Distinguished Rule of Izzuddin from Maldives in June 2019, the King Hamad Order of the Renaissance by Bahrain in August 2019, the Legion of Merit by US in December 2020, the Order of the Dragon King by Bhutan in December 2021, the Order of Fiji by Fiji in May this year, the order of Logohu by Papua New Guinea the same month, and the Order of the Nile by Egypt in June.