DUBAI – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was honoured with the UAE’shighest civilian award on Saturday to appreciate his effort to boostbilateral ties between the two regions, reported The Times of India.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Queen Elizabeth II and Chinese PresidentXi Jinping have previously been honoured with this award.
“The award in the name of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the foundingfather of the UAE, acquires special significance as it was awarded to PrimeMinister Modi in the year of the birth centenary of Sheikh Zayed,” Ministryof External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement ahead of Modi’s visit.
In April, UAE announced that Modi would receive the “Order of Zayed”.
“A 3.3 million-strong vibrant Indian community in the UAE nourishes thevibrant people-to-people contacts between our two friendly countries,” theMEA statement read.
It also added that Modi’s visit would further strengthen ties between thetwo nations.
Modi was honoured by the Middle Eastern nation amid brutal crackdown inIndian-occupied Kashmir.
The region has been under lockdown since August 4, with freedom of movementrestricted and phones and the internet cut.