Moscow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday will be ceremoniously presented with the Order of St Andrew the Apostle the First-Called, which was bestowed on him in the year 2019 at St Catherine’s Hall of the Moscow Kremlin.
The order was presented to the Prime Minister of India for his distinguished contribution to the development of a privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India and friendly ties between the two countries.
The Order was established in 1698 by Tsar Peter the Great, in honour of Saint Andrew, the first apostle of Jesus and patron saint of Russia. It is only awarded for the most outstanding civilian or military service.
The Russian Embassy in India had in 2019 said, “On April 12, @narendramodi was decorated with the Order of St Andrew the Apostle for exceptional services in promoting special & privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India and friendly relations between the Russian and Indian peoples. @mfa_russia @MEAIndia @IndEmbMoscow”.
The Russian President had then said on X, “Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the Order of St Andrew for outstanding achievements in promoting partnership with Russia”.
To this, PM Modi replied that the foundation of the friendship between the two countries is deep and the future of the partnership is bright.
“Honoured to receive this prestigious award. I thank President Putin and the people of Russia. The foundations of India-Russia friendship are deep & the future of our partnership is bright. Extensive cooperation between our nations has led to extraordinary outcomes for our citizens,” he said.
Modi last travelled to Russia in 2019, when he attended a forum in the far eastern port of Vladivostok and met with Putin.
The leaders also saw each other in September 2022 at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, held in Uzbekistan.
Prime Minister Modi will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during his two-day visit to Russia for the 22nd India-Russia annual summit. This visit which began on Monday will be an opportunity for PM Modi to strengthen the long-standing ties between India and Russia.
