Donald Trump presents Legion of Merit award to Narendra Modi

Donald Trump presents Legion of Merit award to Narendra Modi: It was given for his leadership in elevating strategic partnership of the two countries and emergence of India as a global power. US President Donald Trump’s decision to award his partners in India, Japan and Australia is seen to underline that it was during his time at the White House that these relationships were taken to a different level.

The Legion of Merit is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.

Trump presents Legion of Merit award to Narendra Modi

US President Donald Trump presented the prestigious Legion of Merit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his leadership in elevating strategic partnership of the two countries and emergence of India as a global power.

India’s Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, accepted the award on behalf of the prime minister from US National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien at the White House.

President Trump “presented the Legion of Merit to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his leadership in elevating the US-India strategic partnership,” O’Brien said in a tweet.

Modi was presented with the highest degree Chief Commander of the Legion of Merit which is given only to the Head of State or Government.

He was given the award in recognition of his steadfast leadership and vision that has accelerated India’s emergence as a global power and elevated the strategic partnership between the United States and India to address global challenges.

O’Brien in another tweet said that Trump also presented the Legion of Merit to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe. The awards were received by their respective ambassadors in Washington DC.

President Trump “awarded the Legion of Merit to former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe for his leadership and vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific”, he said.

Trump awarded the Legion of Merit to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison for his leadership in addressing global challenges and promoting collective security, O’Brien tweeted.

The United States is the latest country to confer its highest award on the Indian prime minister.

While the outgoing US president has awarded the Legion of Merit to Modi, Abe and Morrison for their leadership and vision, it can also be interpreted as President Trump telling the world that it was during his time at the White House that these relationships were taken to a different level. The QUAD dialogue took shape after China aggravated the dispute with Japan over Senkaku Islands, with India after the transgression on the north banks of Pangong Tso in East Ladakh sector, Australia after imposing trade sanctions and testing nuclear missiles during US naval exercises in the South China Sea.

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