2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
PM Modi sets record with most foreign honours for an Indian PM after receiving Cyprus's top honour
NEW DELHI: With the prestigious Cypriot national award, the 'Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III', conferred upon him, Narendra Modi has become the first Prime Minister of India to receive the highest number of international honours and awards while in office.
According to available records, Prime Minister Modi has been honoured with 28 of the highest state awards from foreign nations between 2016 and 2025, in recognition of his visionary leadership.
Since India's Independence, Jawaharlal Nehru, the country's first Prime Minister, received two international honours, while Indira Gandhi was similarly awarded two. Dr Manmohan Singh also received two international honours during his tenure as Prime Minister, whereas Rajiv Gandhi did not receive any.
Saudi Arabia conferred the 'Order of King Abdulaziz' upon him in 2016, while Afghanistan awarded him the 'Order of Amanullah Khan' international honour in the same year. The list of international accolades bestowed upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to grow each year.
Notably, he received the 'Order of the State of Palestine' in 2018, followed by the 'Order of the Distinguished Rule of Izzuddin' from the Maldives in 2019. That same year, Bahrain honoured him with the 'King Hamad Order of the Renaissance' in Bahrain.
In 2023, Prime Minister Modi was awarded the 'Order of the Nile' by Egypt, and France conferred upon him its highest civilian distinction, the 'Légion d'Honneur'.
The year 2023 saw him receiving a total of three international honours, which was surpassed in 2024 when he received six such awards. So far in 2025, the Prime Minister has been conferred with three international honours.
