PM Modi Conferred Speaker of the Knesset Medal, First Indian Leader to Receive Honour

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the Speaker of the Knesset Medal by Israel’s Parliament on Wednesday, becoming the first Indian prime minister to receive the legislature’s highest honour.

The medal was presented by Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana following Modi’s address to the Israeli Parliament. The award recognised the prime minister’s exceptional contribution, marked by his personal leadership, in strengthening strategic relations between India and Israel.

Modi is among the few global leaders to have received high civilian honours from both Israel and Palestine. In 2018, he was conferred the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine, the highest Palestinian award for foreign dignitaries.

Netanyahu’s Warm Welcome

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Modi ahead of his speech at the Knesset, praising him as “a great friend of Israel” and “a great champion of the Indian-Israeli alliance.”

Expressing emotion over the visit, Netanyahu referred to Modi as a “dear friend” and highlighted the progress in bilateral ties since the Indian leader’s previous trip.

Recalling their earlier meeting, Netanyahu remarked that while they “didn’t walk on water,” the two nations had “performed miracles,” pointing to significant growth in trade, cooperation, and mutual understanding. He noted that trade had doubled and collaboration had expanded across sectors.

This visit marks Modi’s second trip to Israel in nine years. During his historic first visit in July 2017, India-Israel relations were elevated to a strategic partnership.