NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with Kuwait’s highest honour "The Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer" - which is a knighthood order of Kuwait, from Kuwait's Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah at the Bayan Palace here.
"I am honoured to be conferred the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Order by His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah. I dedicate this honour to the people of India and to the strong friendship between India and Kuwait," Modi said in a post on X.
The award was given to Prime Minister Modi for strengthening the good relations between the two nations, Kuwait's state-run news agency KUNA reported. This is the 20th international honour given to PM Modi by a country, officials said.
During his two-day visit PM Modi emphasised on the importance of trade and energy partnerships as pillars of the India-Kuwait bilateral relationship.
Speaking to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), Modi said that trade and commerce have been important pillars of the bilateral relationship. “Our bilateral trade has been on an upswing. Our energy partnership adds a unique value to our bilateral trade,” he said.
Highlighting the growing presence of Indian products in Kuwait, he said, “We are happy to see ‘Made in India’ products, particularly in automobile, electrical and mechanical machinery, and telecom segments, making new inroads in Kuwait. India today is manufacturing world-class products at the most affordable cost. Diversification to non-oil trade is key to achieving greater bilateral trade,” he added.
Meanwhile, PM Modi also called for increased collaboration in sectors like pharmaceuticals, health, technology, digital innovation, and textiles. “Business chambers, entrepreneurs, and innovators must engage and interact with each other more,” he said.
Underlining the historical ties between India and Kuwait he said that the Indian Rupee was a legal tender in Kuwait for over a century till 1961. This shows how closely the economies were integrated.
His visit to Kuwait is the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 43 years. He received a ceremonial welcome and Guard of Honour at the Bayan Palace.
Modi had earlier received honours from Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain.
In November, Guyana and Dominica conferred their top awards on Prime Minister Modi for his contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic and his exceptional contributions to the global community and efforts in strengthening bilateral ties with the two Caribbean nations.
In the same month, Nigeria conferred its national award - the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger - on Prime Minister Modi for his statesmanship and stellar contribution to fostering bilateral ties, making him the second foreign dignitary to receive the distinction.
(With additional inputs from PTI)