PM Modi conferred with Cyprus’ highest civilian award
Award highlights India’s growing diplomatic clout, ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ vision, and depening India–EU ties ahead of Cyprus’s 2026 EU Council Presidency
Nicosia: President Nikos Christodoulides of Cyprus on Monday presented Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III, Cyprus’s highest honour, at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia. This marks the 23rd time a foreign country has bestowed its top civilian award on PM Modi, an unprecedented tally for any Indian Prime Minister.
This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Cyprus in 23 years. President Christodoulides thanked India for its steadfast support on the Cyprus issue and praised Nicosia and New Delhi’s partnership in promoting regional peace across the Eastern Mediterranean and the wider Middle East. With Cyprus slated to hold the EU Council Presidency from January 1, 2026, both leaders vowed to deepen India–EU strategic collaboration.
Accepting the award “on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians,” PM Modi dedicated it to the enduring friendship between India and Cyprus, rooted in shared values, mutual trust, and India’s ancient philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (“the world is one family”). He described the honour as a recommitment to expand bilateral ties in trade, technology, and cultural exchange.
Reflecting India’s Global Rise, Experts say this 23rd international accolade goes beyond personal prestige. It underlines:
1. India’s growing economic clout.
2. A more assertive, “India First” foreign policy that commands respect.
3. The trust 140 crore Indians place in PM Modi’s leadership on the world stage.
A former diplomat observed, “The world isn’t merely watching this new India, it’s acknowledging and respecting it.”
Recent Top Civilian Honours
1. Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana (April 2025): Conferred by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for bolstering India–Sri Lanka ties.
2. Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (GCSK), Mauritius (March 2025): First Indian leader to receive Mauritius’s highest civilian award.
3. The Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer, Kuwait (December 2024): In appreciation of PM Modi’s contributions to India–Kuwait relations.
4. Order of Excellence, Guyana (July 2024): For championing developing countries and strengthening India–Guyana cooperation.
5. Dominica Award of Honour (July 2024): Acknowledging support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
6. Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), Nigeria (November 2024): First foreign leader since 1969 to receive Nigeria’s top national honour.
Earlier Highest National Awards
1. King Abdulaziz Sash, Saudi Arabia (2016)
2. State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan, Afghanistan (2016)
3. Grand Collar of the State of Palestine, Palestine (2018)
4. Order of Zayed Award, UAE (2019)
5. Order of St. Andrew the Apostle, Russia (2019; received July 2024)
6. Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin, Maldives (2019)
7. King Hamad Order of the Renaissance, Bahrain (2019)
8. Legion of Merit, United States Armed Forces (2020)
9. Order of the Druk Gyalpo, Bhutan (2021)
10. Companion of the Order of Fiji (2023)
11. Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu, Papua New Guinea (2023)
12. Order of the Nile, Egypt (2023)
13. Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France (2023)
14. Grand Cross of the Order of Honour, Greece (2023)
Prestigious Awards from Global Bodies
1. Seoul Peace Prize (2018): For contributions to world peace.
2. UN Champions of the Earth Award (2018): The UN’s highest environmental honour.
3. Philip Kotler Presidential Award (2019): First-ever recipient for outstanding national leadership.
4. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Global Goalkeeper Award (2019): For Swachh Bharat’s mass mobilization.
5. Global Energy & Environment Leadership Award (2021): From Cambridge Energy Research Associates, recognizing sustainable energy initiatives.
Prime Minister Modi’s latest honour from Cyprus not only cements his personal standing as a global statesman but also shines a spotlight on India’s evolving role as a confident, forward-looking partner on the world stage.