Cyprus presents one of its highest civilian honours to PM Modi
Cyprus on Monday awarded the Order of Makarios III, one of the country's highest civilian honours, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who described the award as a symbol of peace, security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Cypriot President Nikos Christodulides conferred the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III, the second highest of six grades of the award, on Modi at an official ceremony on the second day of his visit to the Mediterranean country. Modi dedicated the award to the friendship between the two countries.
'I dedicate this award to friendly ties, shared values and mutual understanding between India and Cyprus,' he said, speaking in Hindi. 'This award is a symbol of peace, security, sovereignty and territorial integrity and our unbreakable commitment to our peoples' prosperity.'
Modi said he believed the active partnership between India and Cyprus will touch new heights in the coming days. 'We will not only jointly strengthen the progress of our countries but will work together to build a peaceful and secure global environment,' he said. He said the award is an honour for 1.4 billion Indians and their aspirations, and thanked Christodulides and the government and people of Cyprus.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a social media post: 'The honour reflects the enduring India-Cyprus bilateral partnership and shared commitment to work together for the common vision for peace, progress and prosperity.'
Notable recipients of the Order of Makarios III, named after the first President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios III, include former president Pranab Mukherjee, King Abdullah II of Jordan, former German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.
Modi has received state honours from close to 20 countries, including Saudi Arabia's Order of King Abdul Aziz, the Order of the State of Palestine, the UAE's Order of Zayed, the Order of Fiji, and Egypt's Order of the Nile.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
34 minutes ago
- Time of India
Sharad Pawar will take call on leadership of NCP (SP) state unit: Jayant Patil
Kolhapur: Sharad Pawar will shortly announce changes in the state party unit's leadership, said Jayant Patil, the current state unit chief of NCP (SP) on Wednesday. During his address in Sangli, Patil mentioned submitting his resignation at the party's foundation day celebration, having served as state president for seven years, suggesting a leadership transition. "I proposed to resign because I want the new leaders to take the reins with new zeal, tour the state, and help the party grow. I toured the state two to three times entirely in the last seven years and was there multiple times in the tehsils where we contested. I requested my party president to consider the proposal, and he said that he will. I hope he makes the decision soon," said Patil. On Hindi language in school Patil said no one in Maharashtra will want the imposition of Hindi. "It is okay to make Marathi and English compulsory, but Hindi should not be made compulsory. If govt has thought to make Hindi optional, I think there should be no issue with it and no need to oppose it," added Patil. BJP's political strategy Discussing BJP's approach towards opposition politicians, Patil highlighted a pattern where BJP first levels accusations against politicians, creates difficult situations for them, and subsequently welcomes them into the party. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like It's Affordable and Actually Works Undo He noted that previous allegations are forgotten, offering these politicians fresh opportunities. He referenced specific instances, including Sudhakar Badgujar's case. Congress legacy and ideology Commenting on former Congress functionary Jayashri Patil's departure, who comes from Vasantdada Patil's family, Jayant Patil reflected on the strong ideological commitment of past politicians like Yashwantrao Chavan, Vasantdada, and Patangrao Kadam. "From Yashwantrao Chavan to Vasandada to Patangrao Kadam, many stalwarts who grew alongside the Krishna river's banks were strong in the ideology they chose, whatever the political situation in the country. They worked with the ideology firmly embedded in their public service. I had hoped she would keep moving on that path, but it seems the situation has changed, which might have influenced her decision to switch to BJP."
India Today
43 minutes ago
- India Today
What Donald Trump said on Iran-Israel conflict after meeting Pak's Asim Munir
US President Donald Trump met with Pakistan's Army Chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, at the White House. During their discussion, the escalating Iran-Israel conflict and broader regional stability were central topics. Speaking to reporters afterward, President Trump stated that he believes Pakistan, with its deeper understanding of Iran, could play a key role in de-escalating the situation."We spoke about the Iran-Israel issue. Pakistan understands Iran better than us — they're a key player in regional peace," Trump meeting, held in the Cabinet Room, was followed by a formal luncheon. A White House spokesperson confirmed that the event was arranged to recognise Pakistan's contribution to peace in South on Asim Munir: 'I was honored to meet him today.' Derek J. Grossman (@DerekJGrossman) June 18, 2025 "It's an honour to meet Field Marshal Asim Munir. I thanked him for not letting things spiral into war,' Trump said, referring to the recent cross-border flare-up between the nuclear-armed neighbours, India and Pakistan, which was resolved through leaders also discussed future economic ties. President Trump confirmed that the US is in early discussions on a trade agreement involving Pakistan and India."We're in early talks on trade — Pakistan's concerns are being heard," he told reporters, without providing further details on the timeline or structure of the ASSERTS INDIA-PAK TRUCE WAS ACHIEVED WITHOUT US INVOLVEMENTadvertisementJust hours before the meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a 35-minute phone call with Trump to firmly clarify that the ceasefire following the May 7-10 military standoff had been achieved through direct communication between the Indian and Pakistani militaries - not through any external Secretary Vikram Misri said PM Modi reiterated that New Delhi has never accepted third-party involvement in its bilateral issues with Islamabad and never CREDITS US DIPLOMACY FOR EASING INDIA-PAK TENSIONSDespite India's assertion, Trump insisted his intervention was decisive. Speaking to reporters ahead of Munir's visit, Trump said both countries were "going at it" and credited his outreach with defusing the crisis. He praised both Prime Minister Modi and General Munir for their roles, calling it a collaborative success, but one shaped significantly by US diplomacy."I stopped a war between Pakistan and India. I love Pakistan," Trump said. "Modi is a fantastic man. I spoke to him last night. We are going to make a trade deal with Modi of India."He added, "This man [Munir] was extremely influential in stopping the war from the Pakistani side, and Modi from the Indian side. They were going at it-and they're both nuclear countries. I stopped a war between two major nuclear nations, but I don't think I've seen a single story written about it."advertisementThe four-day conflict between India and Pakistan in early May was sparked by the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people - most of them tourists - were response, India launched retaliatory strikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as part of Operation Sindoor. Pakistan countered with unprovoked attacks targeting civilian areas and military infrastructure, all of which were thwarted by India's air defence has maintained that the de-escalation was the result of existing backchannel military communications. Foreign Secretary Misri also dismissed suggestions of a US-India trade dialogue or any request for mediation during the standoff.
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
PM Modi Concludes Visit To Croatia After Meeting Top Leadership
Zagreb: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday concluded his visit to Croatia, where he held talks with the Balkan nation's top leadership on a range of issues to boost bilateral ties. PM Modi, who is the first Indian prime minister to visit Croatia, was here on the last leg of his three-nation tour. "PM @narendramodi emplanes for New Delhi after concluding three-nation tour to Cyprus, Canada and Croatia," the PMO posted on X. PM @narendramodi held talks with President Mr. Zoran Milanović in Zagreb, Croatia. The leaders reaffirmed their resolve to deepen India-Croatia relations in sectors such as trade, culture and more. @Ured_PRH — PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 18, 2025 He arrived in Zagreb earlier in the day and was received by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković at the airport. PM Modi held delegation-level talks with Plenković and met President Zoran Milanovic to discuss a range of issues to boost bilateral ties. PM Modi said he and his Croatian counterpart have decided to give a "three-time" pace to the bilateral ties and said a plan would be made to boost defence cooperation between the two countries. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri were present during the talks. The two nations also signed four memoranda of cooperation in the areas of agriculture, culture, and science. Another memorandum was signed between the ICCR and the University of Zagreb, related to the study of Indology. He reached Croatia from Canada, where he attended the G7 summit and held talks with several world leaders. In his address at the Summit, the prime minister told the leaders of the seven-nation bloc that India's neighbourhood has become a breeding ground for terrorism and turning a blind eye towards the challenge would be a "betrayal of humanity". He also sought action against Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorist activities. He had earlier visited Cyprus as part of the tour, where he held wide-ranging talks with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides. During his visit, PM Modi and Christodoulides also viewed from atop a building the mountains near Nicosia, which are under Turkish control, signalling a message to Turkiye, which had openly supported Pakistan during the recent conflict with India. His visit to Cyprus assumed significance in the wake of the island nation's strained ties with Turkiye. This was his first foreign visit after India carried out Operation Sindoor in May during which it destroyed terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir in retaliation to the Pahalgam attack. During his visit, PM Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III of Cyprus, the country's highest civilian honour.
