Indian PM Modi honored with UAE’s highest civilian award – Order of Zayed

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was honored Saturday with the highest civilian award of UAE, ‘Order of Zayed’, as a mark of efforts in boosting bilateral ties between the two nations.

UAE is the third-largest trade partner of UAE and there’s an annual trade of about $60 billion between the two nations.

UAE is the fourth-largest exporter of crude oil of India.

Other world leaders who have been honored with the same earlier include Queen Elizabeth II, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The award to Modi acquires special significance as 2019 is the birth centenary of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who was the founding father of the UAE.

UAE announced about the honoring the award to Modi earlier this year in April and a tweet of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan then read, “We have historical and comprehensive strategic ties with India, reinforced by the pivotal role of my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave these relations a big boost.”

Ministry of external affairs (MEA) released a statement ahead of Modi’s visit to UAE stating, “A 3.3 million-strong vibrant Indian community in the UAE nourishes the vibrant people-to-people contacts between our two friendly countries.”