Indian PM Modi awarded with Russian highest order

NEW DELHI: Russia awarded Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Order of St Andrew the Apostle, which is the highest order of the Russian Federation, Indian media reported.

Prime Minister Modi has been awarded the order for his “exceptional services in promoting special and privileged strategic partnership between” Russia and India, according to the Russian Embassy in India.

The Russian government said the Order of St Andrew the Apostle was established in the 17th century by Peter the Great in around 1699. This is also the country’s oldest state decorations, reports said.

According to the Embassy, the Order of St Andrew the Apostle is Russia’s highest and the old state decoration. Even though the order was abolished in the erstwhile Soviet Union in 1918, it was re-established in 1998.

The Order of St Andrew the Apostle is usually awarded to what Russian Embassy said ‘outstanding politicians and public figures’ for their exceptional services.

It should be noted that Chinese president Xi Jinping was awarded the Order of St Andrew the Apostle in 2017.