PM Modi receives France’s top award, conferred with Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received yet another top national honour among the many awards he has received from various countries since he became the Prime Minister of India in 2014. In a historic moment French President Emmanuel Macron bestowed the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (July 13). 

After receiving the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, PM Modi has become the first PM to receive the award. Upon receiving the honour at the award ceremony at the Elysee palace he thanked French president Macron on behalf of the people of India. "Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest award, on 13 July 2023, by H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic of France. Prime Minister thanked President Macron for this singular honour on behalf of the people of India," the Ministry of External Affairs said in the statement. 

Past honours 

This honour given by France is yet another one in a series of top international awards and honours bestowed by various countries on PM Modi. These include Order of the Nile by Egypt in June 2023, Companion of the Order of Logohu by Papua New Guinea in May 2023, Companion of the Order of Fiji in May 2023, Ebakl Award by the Republic of Palau in May 2023, Order of the Druk Gyalpo by Bhutan in 2021, Legion of Merit by the US Government in 2020, King Hamad Order of the Renaissance by Bahrain in 2019, Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin by Maldives in 2019, Order of St. Andrew award by Russia in 2019, Order of Zayed Award by UAE in 2019, Grand Collar of the State of Palestine Award in 2018, State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan by Afghanistan in 2016 and Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud by Saudia Arabia in 2016.

The grand legion of honour in the past has been received by marquee personalities from across the world. These include former South African President Nelson Mandela, King Charles - the then Prince of Wales, Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Former United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, among others.