Russian President, Vladimir Putin has presented the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle to Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
The ceremony came five years after the Russian head of state signed a decree bestowing the honor on Modi.
Putin signed the decree conferring the honor to Modi in April 2019.
The document states that the Indian Prime Minister was awarded “for his outstanding service in the development of a particularly privileged strategic partnership between the Russian Federation and the Republic of India and friendly ties between the Russian and Indian peoples.”
The Order of St. Andrew the Apostle was established by Peter the Great in 1698. After the October Revolution of 1917, the Order was abolished.
On July 1, 1998, the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle was restored as Russia’s highest state award by decree of President Boris Yeltsin.
According to its status, it can be awarded to outstanding government and public figures and other Russian citizens for “exceptional services contributing to the prosperity, greatness and glory of Russia,” as well as heads of governments of other countries for “outstanding contributions to the Russian Federation.”
Putin hailed the relationship between his country and India.
He expressed the belief that Moscow and New Delhi maintain a privileged strategic partnership.
“Our countries have enjoyed decades of a good friendship,” Putin said during talks with Modi at the Kremlin.
“Today, our relations have the nature of a privileged strategic partnership,” he added.
“We closely cooperate on the international stage, namely within international organizations,” Putin pointed out.
He specified that cooperation was underway “primarily within the UN and groups such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS.
The Russian leader also expressed satisfaction with growing trade between the two countries which he said saw a 66% increase last year “and rose by another 20% in the first quarter of this year.”
Additionally, the Russian President thanked Modi for trying to help find a peaceful solution to the Ukraine crisis.
“I am grateful to you for the attention you pay to the most pressing issues, particularly trying to find ways to resolve the Ukraine crisis, primarily through peaceful means.”
Vladimir Putin
According to a joint statement adopted on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, Russia and India view military and military-technical cooperation as a cornerstone of their privileged partnership and will develop it further.
“In view of India’s aspiration for self-sufficiency, the partnership will currently refocus on joint R&D and experimental design work, the joint development and production of advanced defense technologies and systems,” the statement noted.
“The parties reaffirmed their intention to increase the number of joint measures in military cooperation and expand military delegation exchanges,” it read.
Also, the statement revealed that Russia and India “have agreed to take further steps for stimulating joint production of spare parts, components, assemblies and other products in India for the purpose of maintenance of Russian-made equipment and armaments.”
To this end, the statement emphasized that Russia and India will set up a working group at the next session of the bilateral intergovernmental commission for military and military-technical cooperation.
Modi Announces Two New Consulates In Russia
Also on Tuesday, India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi announced opening two new consulates in Russia.
As Modi said at a meeting with the Indian community, the opening of the country’s two new consulates in Russia will facilitate travel and business cooperation.
He specified that India will open two new consulates in Kazan and Yekaterinburg.
Before his departure for Moscow, Modi said that he waited impatiently for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin whom he called his friend.
“The special privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia has progressed in the past decade, especially in the sphere of energy, security, trade, investment, health care, education, culture, tourism and interpersonal exchanges,” the Indian Prime Minister said.
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