Israel's Parliament on Wednesday conferred the “Speaker of the Knesset Medal”, its highest honour on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a special session in Jerusalem.
PM Modi has become the first recipient of the medal, which recognises his “exceptional contribution – through his personal leadership – to strengthen strategic relations between India and Israel,” according to official statements. During his address at the Knesset, Modi received a standing ovation at both the beginning and the conclusion of his speech, with chants of “Modi, Modi” echoing through the chamber, according to media reports.
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Images from the ceremony showed Speaker Amir Ohana presenting the medal to the Indian prime minister. This marks Modi's second visit to Israel as prime minister, after his landmark trip in 2017.
Rare Honour From Both Israel And Palestine
Modi is among the few global leaders to have received top civilian honours from both Israel and Palestine. In 2018, he was awarded the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine — the highest Palestinian honour for foreign leaders.
Focus On Trade And Security
Modi's two-day visit comes as India and Israel deepen economic and strategic cooperation.
The key items on the agenda include defence cooperation, counter-terrorism collaboration and negotiations toward a proposed free trade agreement (FTA), Bloomberg reported, citing officials in New Delhi.
Earlier this week, India and Israel launched the first round of talks on the FTA, signalling efforts to expand market access and strengthen ties between the two technology-driven economies.
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