PM Modi conferred with Norway's top honour, his 32nd worldwide

PM Modi was conferred with the honour during his meeting with King Harald V and Queen Sonja. Notably, PM Modi's visit to Norway is the first by a sitting Indian Prime Minister to the country in 43 years.

In Short

• Grand Cross is highest grade of Norway's Order of Merit
• This is 32nd international honour awarded to PM
• Decoration presented in Oslo during PM's Norway visit

Norway on Monday conferred its highest civilian honour, the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Oslo.

The Grand Cross is the highest grade of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit and marks the 32nd international honour bestowed upon PM Modi by a foreign nation.

PM Modi was conferred with the honour during his meeting with King Harald V and Queen Sonja. Notably, PM Modi's visit to Norway is the first by a sitting Indian Prime Minister to the country in 43 years.

Dedicating the award to the people of India, he called it a tribute to the enduring friendship between India and Norway. "It reflects our shared commitment to global progress," he wrote on X.

The Royal Norwegian Order of Merit was founded by King Olav V in 1985. It is conferred on foreign and Norwegian nationals as a reward for their outstanding service in the interest of Norway and humanity.

PM MODI MEETS NORWAY PM

Earlier in the day, PM Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store, focusing on boosting the overall trajectory of bilateral relations.

PM Modi met the Norwegian PM hours after landing in Oslo from Sweden, as part of his four-nation European tour.

In his remarks to the media after the meeting, he thanked Norway for standing by India in the aftermath of last year’s Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists.

“I was scheduled to visit Norway last year, but had to postpone the trip because of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. During that difficult period, Norway stood firmly with India against terrorism, reflecting the strength of our friendship,” he said.

PM HAILS CLOSER TIES WITH NORWAY

PM Modi complimented Norway on its decision to join the India-led Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, which was launched in 2019 to promote safe and sustainable maritime movement in the Indo-Pacific region.

"As two major maritime nations, we will work together to strengthen cooperation in the marine economy, maritime security, and capacity building," he said.

He said that the free trade agreement between India and the European Free Trade Association signed last year would be a game-changer for Oslo, a member of the trade bloc.

"This agreement serves as a blueprint for ensuring shared growth, progress, and prosperity between India and Norway," he said.

PM TO ATTEND INDIA-NORDIC SUMMIT

On May 19, PM Modi will participate in the 3rd India-Nordic Summit in Oslo alongside the Prime Ministers of Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden. The Summit began in Stockholm in 2018 and was followed by Copenhagen in 2022.

The Summit is expected to boost Make in India investments, attract Nordic pension capital, and deepen partnerships in clean energy, green hydrogen, AI, quantum computing, 6G, shipbuilding, and climate financing.

Each Nordic country brings unique strengths, with Norway being a leader in blue economy and Arctic affairs.

The Summit will also explore a dedicated India-Nordic Arctic cooperation mechanism, given all five Nordic nations are Arctic Council members.

Notably, Nordic countries have consistently backed India’s bid for permanent membership in a reformed UN Security Council, with strong alignment on Indo-Pacific security, rules-based order, and climate action.

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