PM Modi received the honour at the Elysee Palace here on Thursday and joined the ranks of other prominent world leaders such as the former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela, King Charles - the then Prince of Wales, former Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary General of the United Nations, among others

The prime minister, who is in France for a two-day official visit, was accorded a red-carpet welcome as he arrived here on Thursday. He will join President Macron for the French National Day celebrations on Friday as the Guest of Honour

The Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour given by France is another in a series of top international awards and honours bestowed by various countries on Prime Minister Modi

These include Order of the Nile by Egypt in June 2023, Companion of the Order of Logohu by Papua New Guinea in May 2023, Companion of the Order of Fiji in May 2023, Ebakl Award by the Republic of Palau in May 2023, Order of the Druk Gyalpo by Bhutan in 2021, Legion of Merit by the US Government in 2020, King Hamad Order of the Renaissance by Bahrain in 2019, Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin by Maldives in 2019

PM Modi received the Order of St. Andrew Award from Russia in 2019, and the Order of Zayed Award from the UAE in 2019. He also received the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine Award in 2018, the State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan from Afghanistan in 2016 and the Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud from Saudia Arabia in 2016