UAE confers highest civilian award on Indian premier

ANKARA

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday announced to confer its highest civilian award on Indian Prime Minister.

The announcement was made on Twitter by UAE Crown Prince of Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

“We have historical and comprehensive strategic ties with India, reinforced by the pivotal role of my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave these relations a big boost. In appreciation of his efforts, the UAE President grants him the Zayed Medal,” the crown prince said in a Twitter post.

This came a month after India, for the first time, attended the session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Abu Dhabi on March 1-2 as “Guest of Honor”.

The invitation to India was extended by the UAE, which hosted the 46th session of CFMs.

“By granting our dear friend the Indian Prime Minister the Zayed Medal, we express our appreciation for his role and efforts in developing friendly relations and extending bridges of cooperation between the UAE and the Republic of India in various fields,” the crown prince is quoted as saying by UAE’s official Emirates News Agency.

Modi has visited the UAE twice as Prime Minister in last four years.

Responding to the development, India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj wrote in a Twitter post: “I am extremely happy to welcome the announcement of Order of Zayed for a great son of India Prime Minister Narendra Modi by His Highness Mohamed Bin Zayed.”

Swaraj said that the award came in “recognition of premier’s stellar role in ushering in a new era of strategic partnership with UAE and the best ever relations with the Islamic world”.

“On behalf of the people of India, I express our deep sense of gratitude to His Highness the President, His Highness the Crown Prince of UAE for this great honour. With this, you have honoured India and the people of India,” she added.

During his premiership, Modi has been conferred with the Saudi Arabia’s Order of Abdulaziz al Saud award in April 2016; Afghanistan’s State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan award in June 2016, and with the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine in February 2018.