Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the ‘Order of Oliy Darajali Do‘stlik’, the highest state honour of Uzbekistan, by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Sunday. This recognition highlights the strong and lasting relationship between India and Uzbekistan.
Other notable leaders who have gotten the award are Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the chairman of the People’s Council of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, and United Nations secretary general António Guterres. The Prime Minister also credited President Mirziyoyev’s leadership and friendship with India for the steady strengthening of bilateral ties, noting that the relationship has now been elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Reflecting on the honour, PM Modi said the words used by President Mirziyoyev captured India’s heritage, its spirit of universal brotherhood and the efforts of its 1.4 billion people. “This honour does not belong to just one individual; it belongs to 1.4 billion people of India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked his “brother” President Shavkat Mirziyoyev for the honour, saying India and Uzbekistan will work together for the welfare of the Global South and humanity. Calling the award a moment of “immense pride”, the Prime Minister highlighted the significance of the word “Dostlik”, meaning friendship, and said it reflected the core sentiment of India-Uzbekistan relations. On behalf of all the people of India, I express my sincere gratitude to the people of Uzbekistan, its government, and my friend, the Honourable President,” he said.
Last year, Uzbekistan conferred the same award on Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of Kazakhstan.
