Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France’s highest civilian award, by President Emmanuel Macron, an official statement said.
“A warm gesture embodying the spirit of Indo-French partnership. PM Narendra Modi conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France by President Emmanuel Macron,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
The award was conferred by Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Thursday evening.
“India and France are celebrating 25 years of strategic partnership made of trust and friendship, which are only getting stronger with time,” the French President stated in his welcome message for Indian PM Modi on Twitter.
The award is the 14th state honour to be bestowed upon by the Indian Prime Minister, making him the most decorated Indian leader. Last month, Modi was also conferred upon with the ‘Order of the Nile’, Egypt’s highest state honor, during a visit to Cairo.
Modi Meets French PM, Senate President
On Thursday, Modi met Gerard Larcher, the President of the French Senate and Elisabeth Borne, the French Prime Minister.
During the meeting with Borne, Modi discussed ways to expand cooperation between the two nations in economic and trade, energy, environment, education, mobility, railways, digital public infrastructure, museology and people-to-people ties, according to an Indian statement.
The Indian Prime Minister discussed regional and global issues with the French senate president, including India's G20 priorities, democratic values in technology usage and cooperation between the two Upper Houses.
In the evening, Modi addressed the Indian community at La Seine Musicale in Paris.
He made several key announcements during the speech, including the opening of a new consulate in Marseille.
The visiting Prime Minister also said that India’s domestic digital payments system Unified Payments Interface (UPI) will be available in France.