Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been conferred with Brazil’s highest civilian award, the Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross, by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in recognition of his contributions to strengthening bilateral ties between India and Brazil.
The honour was formally presented during Modi's visit to Brazil for multilateral discussions and bilateral meetings. The Grand Collar is reserved for foreign heads of state or government and is the most prestigious decoration awarded by the Brazilian government to non-citizens.
President Lula praised Modi for his global leadership and efforts to deepen India-Brazil cooperation in areas including trade, climate change, technology, and global governance. The award also comes amid growing collaboration between the two nations within forums such as BRICS and the G20.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Modi expressed gratitude for the recognition and reaffirmed India’s commitment to expanding its strategic partnership with Brazil. “This honour is a reflection of the mutual respect and shared values between our two countries. We will continue working together for a better, inclusive, and sustainable future,” he said.
The National Order of the Southern Cross was established in 1822 and has previously been awarded to notable global leaders. Modi now joins a distinguished list of international figures to receive the honour.
