Indonesia joins Muslim-majority nations honouring PM Modi with highest civilian award

New Delhi: Indonesia on Tuesday conferred its highest civilian honour, the Bintang Adipurna of the Republic of Indonesia, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking the 35th international award bestowed on him by a foreign country. The honour was presented during Modi's official visit to Jakarta, where he held talks with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to further strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries. The latest recognition adds Indonesia to a growing list of countries that have conferred their highest civilian honours on the Indian Prime Minister, reflecting New Delhi's expanding diplomatic engagement and strategic partnerships across regions. Indonesia also becomes the latest Muslim-majority nation to honour Modi with its highest civilian decoration. Over the past decade, several Muslim-majority countries have conferred their top civilian awards on the Prime Minister. Saudi Arabia awarded Modi the Order of King Abdulaziz (Special Class) in 2016, followed by Afghanistan's Order of Amanullah Khan the same year. Palestine honoured him with the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine in 2018. In 2019, the Maldives conferred the Order of Izzuddin, the United Arab Emirates awarded the Order of Zayed, and Bahrain presented the Order of the Renaissance (First Class). Egypt honoured Modi with the Order of the Nile in 2023, followed by Kuwait's Order of Mubarak Al-Kabeer in 2024 and Oman's Order of Oman (First Class) in 2025. With Indonesia's Bintang Adipurna, the number of Muslim-majority nations conferring their highest civilian honours on the Prime Minister has now reached ten. Overall, the Indonesian award is the 35th international civilian honour received by Modi from foreign governments during his tenure as Prime Minister. The honours have come from countries across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, the Caribbean and the Pacific, underscoring India's expanding diplomatic outreach and strategic partnerships under Modi's leadership. The Indonesian recognition comes as New Delhi and Jakarta continue to deepen cooperation in areas including defence, maritime security, trade, connectivity and the Indo-Pacific, with both countries playing important roles in regional and global forums.