Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been conferred Uzbekistan’s highest civilian award during his visit to the country. At a ceremony held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev presented Modi with the Order of Dostlik, marking the 36th international honour bestowed upon the Indian Prime Minister.
Modi said he felt immense pride in receiving Uzbekistan’s highest award, adding that he viewed the honour not as being his alone, but as a reflection of the friendship between India and Uzbekistan. Explaining that “Dostlik” means friendship, Modi noted that the word “dost” is also very familiar to Indians, and said it perfectly captures the spirit of the relationship between the two nations.
Modi said the award was not meant for him alone, but was an honour for all 140 crore Indians. On behalf of the people of India, he extended heartfelt gratitude to the people and government of Uzbekistan, as well as to his friend, President Mirziyoyev.
During talks between representatives of the two countries, President Mirziyoyev praised the progress India has made under Modi’s leadership, noting that the country was achieving strong results across sectors and that its economic growth continued to advance rapidly, with several major projects currently underway in the country.
On the occasion, Modi announced that India and Uzbekistan would enter into a long-term agreement for the supply of uranium. He also said that sister-city and sister-state relationships were being established between select cities and states in the two countries, adding that a dedicated plan would need to be drawn up to derive greater mutual benefit from these ties.