Context:
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the ‘Order of St Andrew the Apostle the First-Called’, Russia’s highest civilian honour.
Key Highlights
- This award acknowledges PM Modi’s pivotal role in strengthening the strategic partnership between Russia and India and fostering friendly relations.
- The award ceremony took place at St. Andrew Hall in the Kremlin, where Russian President Vladimir Putin conferred the honour on Prime Minister Modi.
- This marked a significant moment as PM Modi became the first Indian leader to receive this prestigious award.
About the Award
- The ‘Order of St Andrew the Apostle the First-Called’ was established in 1698 by Tsar Peter the Great in honour of Saint Andrew, the first apostle of Jesus and patron saint of Russia.
- It is Russia’s highest civilian honour and is reserved for exceptional civilian or military merit.
- The President of China, Xi Jinping, was conferred the same award in 2017.
India-Russia Bilateral relationship
- India and Russia share a historically close and multifaceted relationship, termed a “special and privileged strategic partnership” since 2010.
- The relationship between both countries dates back to the Soviet era, with strong political and military cooperation.
- India and the Soviet Union established their first formal diplomatic relations in April 1947.
- The Indo-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation (1971) solidified this partnership, with Russia providing crucial support during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.
- India & Russia cooperate closely at several multilateral platforms such as the UN, G20, BRICS & SCO.
- As per the Department of Commerce, in FY 2023 24, bilateral trade reached an all-time high of $ 65.70 billion [India’s exports: USD 4.26 billion; and India’s imports: USD 61.44 billion].