Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, 12 April, was awarded Russia’s highest state honour, Order of St Andrew, for exceptional services in promoting special and privileged strategic partnership between Russian and India.
The Order of St Andrew the Apostle the First-Called was established as the first and the highest order of chivalry of the Russian Empire in 1698. It was then abolished under the USSR, but re-established as the highest Russian order in 1998.
Some of the earlier recipients of the award are Chinese President Xi Jinping, author Daniil Granin and Opera singer Irina Arkipova.
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