Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a diplomatic visit to France, was bestowed the nation’s highest award, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, by French President Emmanuel Macron.

 

Regarding the Grand Cross of Honour

Mr. Modi was presented with the honour on Thursday, June 13, 2023, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, merging with a host of other noteworthy leaders around the globe, including former South African President Nelson Mandela, King Charles, at the time Prince of Wales, Chancellor of Germany Angela Markel, and Boutros Boutros Ghali, former Secretary General of the United Nations, as well as others.

 

Modi’s two-day visit to France 

The Prime Minister touched down in France on Thursday to begin a two-day formal visit and was ushered in on a red carpet. He will serve as Guest of Honour throughout President Macron’s French National Day celebrations on Friday.

 

Ministry of External Affairs tweet

“A warm gesture encapsulating the essence of collaboration.” President @EmmanuelMacron bestowed on PM Narendra Modi the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France’s highest honour,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) representative Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

 

Concerning the Legion of Honour

The Legion of Honour was founded in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte and is organised into five categories (from lower to higher). The ribbon is red, and the insignia is a five-armed Maltese asterisk strung from an oak and laurel wreath.

 

The Legion of Honour can be classified into five categories:

Chevalier (Knight): an average of 20 years of public service or at least twenty-five years of occupation with “eminent merits.”

Officier (Officer): at least eight years at the level of Chevalier Commandeur (Commander); at least five years at the rank of Officier

Grand Officier (Grand Officer): at least three years as a Commander Grand-Croix (Grand Cross): at least three years as a Grand-Officier

The “eminent merits” necessary to be given the order include perfect execution of one’s craft as well as going further than an obligation of duty, such as being innovative, enthusiastic, and contributing to the development and better-being of society.

The Legion of Honour, explicitly the National Order of the Legion of Honour, French Ordre National de la Légion d’honneur, was founded on May 19, 1802, by Napoleon Bonaparte, then first consul, as a general military and civil order of merit conferred without regard to birth or religion and stipulated that anyone who confessed pledged to maintain liberty and equality.

Order of the Nile by Egypt in June 2023; Companion of the Order of Logohu by Papua New Guinea in May 2023; Companion of the Order of Fiji in May 2023; Ebakl Award by the Republic of Palau in May 2023; Order of the Druk Gyalpo by Bhutan in 2021; Legion of Merit by the US Government in 2020; and The Order of the Recognised Rule of Nishan Izzuddin by the Maldives in 2019.

“Foreigners may be adorned with the Legion of Honour provided they have contributed cultural or economic services to France or supported the causes backed by France, such as human rights, press freedom, or humanitarian action.” According to the award criteria, “state visits are also an occasion for conferring the Legion of Honour upon high-ranking officials in tandem with diplomatic reciprocity and thus assisting France’s foreign policy.”

 

Earlier accomplishments of Narendra Modi

Mr. Modi received the Cross of St. Andrew from Russia in 2019 and the Order of Zayed from the UAE in 2019. He additionally achieved the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine Award in 2018, the Afghan State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan in 2016, and the Saudi Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud in 2016.

 

Narendra Modi’s tweet regarding the Grand Cross

It is with great humility that I accept the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour. This is an honour for the 140 million people of India. I thank President Macron, the French government, and the French people for this gesture. It shows their deep affection for India and their resolve to further friendship with our nation.

The Prime Minister thanked President Macron for this singular honour on behalf of the people of India,” the MEA said in a statement.

 

President Emmanuel’s courteous gesture

Formerly known as French President Emmanuel Macron, First Lady Brigitte Macron arranged a special luncheon at the Elysee Palace for Mr. Modi.

Agreement for the use of UPI in France

Mr. Modi touched on the Indian diaspora in Paris on Thursday evening and unveiled a settlement for the utilisation of UPI in France, offering up an entirely fresh market for Indian creativity in online rapid payment.

Mr. Modi described India’s fast-paced development and asserted that while the world is moving towards a new order, India’s strength and role are also shifting extremely rapidly in his nearly hour-long communication to an enthusiastic crowd at the La Seine Musicale, a musical performance centre on an island in the Seine.

 

Indian and French Collaboration

Mr. Modi inaugurated the official opening of a new Indian embassy in Marseille, France, and announced to the ecstatic crowd that Indian students obtaining master’s degrees in the European country will soon be entitled to five-year employment following their study visas.

Mr. Modi said he had been to France on numerous occasions, but the current trip was special owing to its support for India and the robustness of relations between France and India, which are celebrating their 25th anniversary of strategic collaboration.

Mr. Modi also urged overseas residents to make investments in India, detailing that International professionals have recognised the nation’s promise as a destination for investment and that the country is experiencing outstanding progress in modernization.