QuoteWe created the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to meet the immediate costs of fighting the pandemic: PM Modi
QuoteFrom India, our Ayushman Bharat and Jan Arogya schemes may be useful case-studies for our friends in the region: PM at workshop on Covid-19 management
QuoteIf the 21st Century is to be the Asian Century, it can not be without greater integration among the countries of South Asia and the Indian Ocean island countries: PM

Excellencies,

Namaskar!

 

I am very happy that the health officials and experts from countries in our immediate and extended neighbourhood are meeting today.Let me start by conveying my best wishes to all of you for very productive discussions today.Let me also congratulate you all for the way our health systems have cooperated during this pandemic.When COVID-19 hit the world last year, many experts voiced special concern about our densely populated region.But, from the very beginning, we all met this challenge with a coordinated response.In March last year, we were the first to come together for recognizing the threat and committing to fight it together. Many other regions and groups followed our early example.

We created the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to meet the immediate costs of fighting the pandemic.We shared our resources - medicines, PPE, and testing equipment.And, above all, we shared the most valuable commodity - knowledge-through collaborative training of our health workers. Through webinars, online courses and IT portals, we shared experiences and learned from each other’s best practices in testing, infection control and medical waste management.We developed our own best practices based on what worked best for us. Each one of us contributed immensely to this pooling of knowledge and experience.

 

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Friends,

This spirit of collaboration is a valuable take-away from this pandemic.Through our openness and determination, we have managed to achieve one of the lowest fatality rates in the world.This deserves to be applauded.Today, the hopes of our region and the world are focused on rapid deployment of vaccines.In this too, we must maintain the same cooperative and collaborative spirit.

Friends,

Over the past year, our health cooperation has already achieved so much. Can we now think of raising our ambition further? Allow me to make some suggestions for your discussions today:

Can we consider creating a special visa scheme for our doctors and nurses, so that they can travel quickly within our region during health emergencies, on the request of the receiving country?
Can our Civil Aviation ministries coordinate a regional Air Ambulance agreement for medical contingencies?
Can we create a regional platform for collating, compiling and studying data about the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines among our populations?
Can we similarly create a regional network for promoting technology-assisted epidemiology, for preventing future pandemics?
And, Beyond COVID-19, can we also share our successful public health policies and schemes? From India, our Ayushman Bharat and Jan Arogya schemes may be useful case-studies for our friends in the region.Such collaboration can become the pathway for greater regional cooperation among us in other areas too. After all, we share so many common challenges–climate change; natural disasters, poverty, illiteracy, and social and gender imbalances. But we also share the power of Centuries old cultural and people-to-people linkages. If we focus on all that unites us, our region can overcome not only the present pandemic, but our other challenges too.

Friends,

If the 21st Century is to be the Asian Century, it can not be without greater integration among the countries of South Asia and the Indian Ocean island countries.The spirit of regional solidarity that you have shown during the pandemic has proven that such integration is possible.I once again convey my very best wishes to all of you for fruitful discussions today.

Thank you!

Thank you very much!

  • शिवकुमार गुप्ता February 20, 2022

    जय माँ भारती
  • शिवकुमार गुप्ता February 20, 2022

    जय भारत
  • शिवकुमार गुप्ता February 20, 2022

    जय हिंद
  • शिवकुमार गुप्ता February 20, 2022

    जय श्री सीताराम
  • शिवकुमार गुप्ता February 20, 2022

    जय श्री राम
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List of Highest National Honours and Global Awards Conferred on PM Narendra Modi
July 09, 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been conferred highest civilian honours by several nations. These recognitions are a reflection of PM Modi’s leadership and vision which has strengthened India’s emergence on the global stage. It also reflects India’s growing ties with countries around the world.

Let us have a look at awards bestowed on PM Modi in the last ten years.

Awards Conferred by Countries:

1. In April 2016, during his visit to Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred Saudi Arabia's highest civilian honour- the King Abdulaziz Sash. The Prime Minister was conferred the prestigious award by King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

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2. The same year, PM Modi was bestowed upon the State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan – the highest civilian honor of Afghanistan.

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3. In the year 2018, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a historic visit to Palestine, he was awarded the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine Award. This is the highest honour of Palestine awarded to foreign dignitaries.

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4. In 2019, the Prime Minster was awarded the Order of Zayed Award. This is the highest civilian honour of the United Arab Emirates.

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5. Russia conferred Prime Minister Modi with their highest civilian honour - the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle in 2019. The PM received the award during his visit to Moscow in July 2024..

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6. Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin- the highest honour of the Maldives awarded to foreign dignitaries was presented to PM Modi in 2019.

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7. PM Modi received the prestigious King Hamad Order of the Renaissance in 2019. The honour was conferred by Bahrain.

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8. Legion of Merit by the US Government, the award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements was conferred on PM Modi in 2020.

9. Bhutan honoured PM Modi with the highest civilian decoration, Order of the Druk Gyalpo in December 2021. PM Modi received the award during his visit to Bhutan in March 2024

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10. During his visit to Papua New Guinea in 2023, PM Modi was conferred with Ebakl Award by the President Surangel S. Whipps, Jr. of the Republic of Palau

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11. PM Narendra Modi has also been conferred the highest honour of Fiji, Companion of the Order of Fiji in recognition of his global leadership. The award was conferred by PM Sitiveni Rabuka of Fiji.

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12. Governor General of Papua New Guinea, Sir Bob Dadae conferred PM Modi with Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu. It is the highest honour of Papua New Guinea.

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 13. In June 2023, President Abdel Fattah El-sisi conferred Prime Minister Modi with the highest state honour of Egypt, the 'Order of Nile.'

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 14. On 13th July 2023, PM Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France by President Emmanuel Macron.

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 15. On 25th August 2023, PM Modi was conferred with 'The Grand Cross of the Order of Honour' by President Katerina Sakellaropoulou of Greece.

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16. Dominica honoured PM Modi with the ‘Dominica Award of Honour.’ It was presented to PM Modi by President Sylvanie Burton of Dominica during the Prime Minister's visit to Guyana in November 2024.

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17. Nigeria honoured PM Modi with 'The Grand Commander of The Order of the Niger' during his visit in November 2024. It was presented to him by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria.

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18. Guyana honoured PM Modi with the ‘The Order of Excellence’ during the Prime Minister's visit in November 2024. It was presented to him by President Dr. Irfaan Ali.

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19. PM Mia Amor Mottley of Barbados announced her government’s decision to honour PM Modi with the Honorary Order of Freedom of Barbados Award during the Prime Minister's visit to Guyana in November 2024. MoS Pabitra Margherita Ji received the award on behalf of PM from President Dame Sandra Mason of Barbados on 06th March 2025.

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20. In December 2024, PM Modi was conferred the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Order by His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah.

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21During PM Modi's visit to Mauritius in March 2025, President Dharambeer Gokhool conferred PM Modi with the Highest National Award of Mauritius, 'The Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean'.

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22. During PM Modi's visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake conferred PM Modi with the highest Sri Lankan honour, the 'Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana' award.

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23) PM Modi was conferred the 'Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III' of Cyprus during his visit in June 2025. It was bestowed upon PM Modi by President Nikos Christodoulides.

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24) PM Modi was conferred ‘The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’ during his visit in July 2025. It was bestowed upon PM Modi by President John Dramani Mahama.

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25) PM Modi was conferred ‘The Order of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago’ during his visit in July 2025. It was bestowed upon PM Modi by President Christine Kangaloo.

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26) PM Modi has been conferred with ‘The Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross’ during his visit to Brazil in July 2025. It was bestowed upon PM Modi by President Lula.

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Apart from the highest civilian honours, PM Modi has also been conferred with several awards by prestigious organisations across the globe.

1. Seoul Peace Prize: It is awarded biennially to those individuals by Seoul Peace Prize Cultural Foundation who have made their mark through contributions to the harmony of mankind, reconciliation between nations and to world peace. Prime Minister Modi was conferred prestigious award in 2018.

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2. United Nations Champions of The Earth Award: This is UN’s highest environmental honour. In 2018, the UN recognized PM Modi for his bold environmental leadership on the global stage.

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3. First-ever Philip Kotler Presidential Award was given to Prime Minister Modi in 2019. This award is offered annually to the leader of a nation. The citation of the award said that PM Modi was selected for his “outstanding leadership for the nation”.

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4. In 2019, PM Modi was conferred the ‘Global Goalkeeper’ Award by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. PM Modi dedicated the award to those Indians who transformed the Swachh Bharat campaign into a “people’s movement” and accorded topmost priority to cleanliness in their day-to-day lives.

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5. In 2021, Global Energy and Environment Leadership Award by the Cambridge Energy Research Associates CERA was bestowed on PM Modi. The award recognizes the commitment of leadership towards the future of global energy and environment.