Brasília, Brazil – July 8, 2025 – In a significant diplomatic gesture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred the Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross, Brazil’s highest civilian honor, during an official ceremony held in Brasília on Tuesday.
The award was personally presented by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who praised Prime Minister Modi’s leadership and his efforts to strengthen India–Brazil relations across various sectors, including trade, energy, technology, and multilateral diplomacy.
In his address, President Lula emphasized Modi’s role in advancing cooperation between the two major democracies, particularly in global platforms such as BRICS, the G20, and the United Nations. “Prime Minister Modi’s visionary leadership has not only transformed India’s global standing but has also deepened our strategic partnership,” said President Lula.
The National Order of the Southern Cross is traditionally awarded to foreign dignitaries and was established in 1822 to honor individuals who make significant contributions to Brazil or to Brazil’s relations with other nations. The Grand Collar is the highest grade of the order.
With this recognition, Prime Minister Modi has now received 26 international awards from foreign governments since taking office in May 2014. Previous honors include the Order of Zayed from the United Arab Emirates, the Legion of Honour from France, the Order of St. Andrew from Russia, and the King Abdulaziz Sash from Saudi Arabia.
Reacting to the honor, Prime Minister Modi expressed gratitude to the Brazilian government and reaffirmed India’s commitment to deepening its ties with Latin America’s largest economy. “This honor is not just for me, but for the 1.4 billion people of India. It reflects the growing friendship and trust between our two nations,” Modi said.
The ceremony was part of a broader diplomatic engagement during Modi’s official visit to Brazil, which includes high-level talks on climate cooperation, digital innovation, energy security, and joint efforts for reforming global governance institutions.
