Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the 'Guardian of the Blue Horizon' trophy during his June 27-29 visit to Seychelles. The award, described as the highest civilian honor of the country, was created specifically for Modi and did not exist prior to his visit.

The certificate accompanying the award contained embarrassing spelling mistakes, referring to the country as the 'Repubblic of Seycheeles'. Seychelles' Foreign Ministry later clarified that the image circulated was of a 'working draft', insisting the award itself is genuine.

Critics, including opposition politicians and academics, have ridiculed the errors. Nitasha Kaul, professor at the University of Westminster, called it a 'rush job' that invites 'ridicule', arguing that such awards serve Modi's personal image rather than India's diplomacy.

Modi has collected over 30 awards during foreign visits in his 12 years in power, including Indonesia's Bintang Adipurna, Slovakia's Order of the White Double Cross, the Knesset Speaker Medal from Israel, and the UN Champions of the Earth award.

Experts question the diplomatic value of these accolades. Ian Hall of Griffith University noted that they reinforce the view that Modi is more focused on personal image than practical action for India's interests. Kaul added that the awards are increasingly 'inviting ridicule rather than respect'.

Source: www.aljazeera.com