E-Paper
Kuwait presents highest national award to PM Modi; Amir says ‘you earned it’
PM Modi dedicated the award to the long-standing friendship between India and Kuwait, the one-million-strong Indian community in Kuwait and the 1.4 billion people of India
New Delhi: Kuwait on Sunday honoured Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Order of Mubarak the Great, the country’s highest national award, for his role in bolstering relations between the two countries.
The Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, presented the award to Modi at Bayan Palace on Sunday morning. The Kuwaiti Prime Minister, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, was present on the occasion.
Modi dedicated the award to the long-standing friendship between India and Kuwait, the one-million-strong Indian community in Kuwait and the 1.4 billion people of India.
“I am honoured to be conferred the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Order by his Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. I dedicate the honour to the people of India and to the strong friendship between India and Kuwait,” Modi said on X.
The Amir of Kuwait told Modi: “This is our highest medal and you have earned it. We have maintained bonds with the Republic of India for hundreds of years.”
The presentation of the award during the first visit by an Indian premier to Kuwait in 43 years “added a special meaning to the occasion”, the external affairs ministry said.
The award was instituted in 1974 and among its recipients are Queen Elizabeth II of Britain, former US presidents George HW Bush and Bill Clinton, and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Modi has received state honours from 19 countries, including Saudi Arabia’s Order of King Abdul Aziz, Order of the State of Palestine, the United Arab Emirates’ Order of Zayed, Order of Fiji and Egypt’s Order of the Nile.
Last month, Modi was honoured with Nigeria’s Grand Commander of the Order of Niger for his contributions to strengthening bilateral ties, and the Dominica Award of Honour in recognition of his contributions to Dominica during the Covid-19 pandemic and his role in strengthening the bilateral partnership.
