Prime Minister Narendra Modi was honored on Friday with Bhutan’s highest civilian award, the ‘Order of the Druk Gyalpo,’ making him the first foreign Head of Government to receive this prestigious honor.
The award recognizes Prime Minister Modi’s exceptional contribution to strengthening India-Bhutan relations and his dedicated service to the Bhutanese nation and its people.
Expressing gratitude for the recognition, Prime Minister Modi dedicated the award to the 1.4 billion citizens of India. The ‘Order of the Druk Gyalpo’ was presented to Prime Minister Modi by Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck during the former’s two-day State visit, marking his third visit to Bhutan since assuming office in 2014.
The Bhutanese King announced this honor during the 114th National Day celebrations on December 17, 2021. The ‘Order of the Druk Gyalpo’ is considered the highest decoration for lifetime achievement in Bhutan and holds precedence over all other orders, decorations, and medals.
Prime Minister Modi’s receipt of this award adds to his list of international honors, including the ‘Legion of Merit’ by the US Government in 2020 and Russia’s highest civilian honor, ‘The Order of St. Andrew,’ in 2019.
During his visit to Bhutan, Prime Minister Modi expressed gratitude for the warm welcome extended to him by the Bhutanese people and reiterated his commitment to strengthening the enduring friendship between India and Bhutan. The visit reaffirms India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ Policy and aims to deepen the longstanding and unique bond between the two countries.