India Honoured With Prime Minister Modi Getting Many International Awards

New Delhi. From Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates, from Bahrain to Israel and the Maldives, and away from this near neighbourhood, Russia, Japan and South Korea – with the United Nations to top them – all have honoured Prime Minister Narendra Modi with their highest civilian awards.

- Mahendra Ved

Of the many national honours he has received since he took office five years ago, those from the Gulf, West Asia and the Islamic nations stand out.

National awards, conferred and received, are a special part of diplomacy for the host nation and the leader conferred. Modi has repeatedly said, it is not him the individual, the honour is to the 1.3 billion people of India.

It is significant that “globe-trotting” Modi has been the first India premier to visit some of the nations, or at least the first after a long time gap. That adds significance to the awards and the nations who confer them on him.

It is special for both Modi and his honouring hosts when it comes to the large Indian Diasporas. A visiting Indian leader is a matter of pride to the millions of businessmen and workers residing in those countries and contributing their might to the host nations.

For the host nations, too, showing respect to an Indian prime minister and India is a way of appreciating the contributions these Diasporas make.

This year alone, Modi has been honoured by the Kings and Royalty of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE. He received “The King Hamad Order of the Renaissance” in Manama as he held talks with King of Bahrain Hamad ​bin Isa Al Khalifa on various bilateral and regional issues.