India’s Modi notches up global honours with another medal from Indonesia

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto presented Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the nation's highest civilian honor, the Bintang Adipurna, on July 7 during his visit to Jakarta. This latest award brings Modi's total foreign state honors to at least 35, positioning him as one of the most decorated serving leaders worldwide.

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It’s a tool in forging relations and in strengthening relations and countries do so because they want to strengthen their relationship with India and Modi.

Modi, one of India's longest-serving prime ministers, has collected numerous awards, including six in 2026 alone from countries like Slovakia, Norway, and Israel. This contrasts with leaders such as former US President Donald Trump, who received fewer than 10 foreign state awards over his two terms. Experts like James M. Dorsey, a senior fellow at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, note that these awards serve as diplomatic tools, strengthening bilateral relations and reinforcing Modi's image as a globally respected statesman.

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It is another feather in the cap and would be used domestically by his party.

However, Modi's extensive list of accolades has not been without scrutiny. Some Indian opposition leaders have questioned the credibility of certain medals. For instance, an award from the Seychelles faced criticism due to apparent AI-generated artwork and spelling errors in a citation document, although the Seychelles Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified it was a working draft. Similarly, the Medal of the Knesset awarded by Israel in February drew controversy.

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The publicity machinery of his party will amplify it despite the controversy.

Despite these criticisms, Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and government officials often promote these awards domestically. Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, author of ‘Narendra Modi: The Man, The Times,’ suggests the party's publicity machinery will amplify the awards for local audiences. The BJP stated that the Indonesian award was an endorsement of India's diplomacy. Accepting the medal, Modi declared it belonged to the people of India and symbolized strong ties between the two nations.

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It is an endorsement of India’s diplomacy.