UAE confers highest civil honour on Indian PM Modi for giving bilateral ties 'a big boost'

Published April 4, 2019
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. ─ Reuters/File
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. ─ Reuters/File

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday conferred its highest civilian honour, the Zayed Medal (Order of Zayed), upon Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan announced on Twitter that UAE President Sheikh Khalif had conferred the award on Modi.

"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," he said.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the UAE leader on Twitter with "utmost humility" and said that ties between New Delhi and Abu Dhabi had grown stronger under the crown prince's "visionary leadership".

Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah also tweeted about the award for the prime minister, saying it was a gesture of "recognition of PM Modi's efforts to strengthen ties between the two nations, which has helped achieve our shared strategic imperatives in the best interest of our people".

Modi had last visited the UAE in 2015, while a Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan paid a visit to India in 2017, during which he was invited to be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade.

Both countries had in 2015, condemned efforts ─ including those made by states ─ to use religion to justify, support and sponsor terrorism against other countries, or to use terrorism as instrument of state policy.

There are more than 2.6 million Indians in the UAE and their annual remittance is estimated to be around $14 billion.

Opinion

Editorial

Business concerns
26 Apr, 2024

Business concerns

WITH the country confronting one of its gravest economic crises, it is time for the government and business ...
Musical chairs
26 Apr, 2024

Musical chairs

THE petitioners are quite helpless. Yet again, they are being expected to wait while the bench supposed to hear...
Global arms race
26 Apr, 2024

Global arms race

THE figure is staggering. According to the annual report of Sweden-based think tank Stockholm International Peace...
Digital growth
Updated 25 Apr, 2024

Digital growth

Democratising digital development will catalyse a rapid, if not immediate, improvement in human development indicators for the underserved segments of the Pakistani citizenry.
Nikah rights
25 Apr, 2024

Nikah rights

THE Supreme Court recently delivered a judgement championing the rights of women within a marriage. The ruling...
Campus crackdowns
25 Apr, 2024

Campus crackdowns

WHILE most Western governments have either been gladly facilitating Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, or meekly...