UAE confers its highest civilian honour, the Zayed Medal, on PM Modi

The United Arab Emirates on Thursday conferred its highest civilian honour, the Zayed Medal, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, crediting him with giving a major boost to relations between the two countries. The award was given by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

About the award

The Order of Zayed is given to heads of state and government for their contribution to relations with the UAE. It consists of a collar with an emblem bearing the name of Zayed, the founding father of the country. Earlier recipients include Russian President Vladimir Putin, former US President George W Bush, Nicolas Sarkozy as President of France, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Chinese President Xi Jinping and the UK’s Queen Elizabeth II.

What the UAE said

Mohamed bin Zayed, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, tweeted that the two countries shared historic and comprehensive strategic ties, strengthened by the role of Modi, whom he called a dear friend, and that the President was awarding him the medal in appreciation. The Crown Prince also posted his message in Hindi.

An official statement said Modi had shown exceptional leadership in building a strategic relationship between the two nations, and praised his outreach to the Islamic world. It also commended what it described as his inclusive approach to governing a country with many religions, languages and cultures.

Why it matters now

The honour came as India headed into the Lok Sabha election and was expected to be a boost for Modi on the campaign trail. The two countries were also discussing whether Modi would visit Abu Dhabi on April 20 to open the BAPS Hindu Mandir, the city’s first Hindu temple.

What happened next

In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, counted on 23 May 2019, the BJP won 303 seats, and Modi was sworn in for a second term on 30 May 2019.

See also: political leaders

Originally published on 5 April 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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