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Vladimir Putin presented the Order of St Andrew the Apostle the First-Called to Mr Modi after their summit meeting at the Kremlin. The formal ceremony was held five years after Mr Modi was conferred the award in 2019 for “outstanding achievements in promoting partnership with Russia”.
The award was established in 1698 by Tsar Peter the Great in honour of the patron saint of Russia. “Honoured to receive The Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle. I thank the Russian Government for conferring the award,” Mr Modi said in a post on X/Twitter, dedicating the award to his fellow Indians.
Mr Modi concluded his first trip to Russia in five years on Tuesday. The visit had been stalled since the Russian military invaded Ukraine in early 2022. The Indian leader has avoided condemning Russia while emphasising a peaceful settlement of the ongoing war. However, the bilateral relationship has become complicated as Russia has moved closer to China, India’s chief rival.
This story is from the July 11, 2024 edition of The Independent.
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This story is from the July 11, 2024 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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