Bahrain follows UAE and awards India's Modi, despite 'brutal' Kashmir crackdown

Bahrain follows UAE and awards India's Modi, despite 'brutal' Kashmir crackdown
Bahrain is the latest Gulf state to award Modi, despite criticism for India over a massive crackdown on protesters in Kashmir.
2 min read
26 August, 2019
Modi visited the UAE and Bahrain this weekend [Getty]
Bahrain followed the UAE's lead this weekend by granting India Prime Minister Narendra Modi an award during his visit to the Gulf state over the weekend.

The visit coincides with international criticism of New Delhi over a massive crackdown in the Muslim-majority region of Kashmir, leading to widespread international criticism of India's abrogating of provisions in Article 370 of the constitution.

Modi received the King Hamad Order of the Reniassance from the Bahrain monarch during a visit to Manama on Saturday evening, the Gulf state's news agency reported.

It follows another award Modi picked up over the weekend in Abu Dhabi during a state visit to the UAE.

Modi was conferred the UAE's highest civilian award, drawing criticism from Muslims over India's scrapping of contested Kashmir's semi-autonomous status with activists and protesters arrested.

Pakistan Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani cancelled a visit to the UAE on Sunday, in protest at Modi's visit, where he was due to meet Emirati officials.

"I am equally honoured by Your Majesty's friendship for me and for my country," Modi told King Hamad, according to India Today.

"I humbly accept this prestigious honour on behalf of 1.3 billion Indians. It is an honour for entire India. This is a recognition of the close and friendly relations between the Kingdom of Bahrain and India. These relations go back thousands of years."

Bahrain pardoned 250 Indian prisoners to mark Modi's visit.

India is one of the world's fastest-growing economies, with the country looking to partner with Gulf states in its rise to becoming a global power.