NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded Namibia’s highest civilian honour, the Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis, on Wednesday. The award was presented by Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah during his official visit. PM Modi is in Namibia as part of the final leg of his five-nation tour. This marks his first visit to the country and only the third by an Indian Prime Minister.With this, PM Modi has received a total of 27 international honours from foreign governments since taking office in May 2014.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while accepting Namibia’s highest civilian honour said, “It is a matter of great pride and honour for me to be honoured with the Welwitschia Mirabilis. I express my heartfelt gratitude to the president, the government of Namibia and the people of Namibia. I humbly accept this honour on behalf of 140 crore Indians.”He described the honour as a symbol of the deep and historic ties between the two nations. He said, “It is a witness to the everlasting friendship between India and Namibia and I feel very proud to be associated with it today. I dedicate this honour to the people of Namibia and India, their continuous progress and development, and our unbreakable friendship.” The Prime Minsiter recalled the long-standing support both countries have shown each other, saying, “A true friend is recognised only in difficult times. India and Namibia have stood by each other since the time of their freedom struggle. Our friendship was not born out of politics but out of struggle, cooperation and mutual trust.” He added that the relationship was guided by shared democratic values and a collective dream for a better future. “It has been nurtured by democratic values and dreams of a bright future. In the future, too, we will keep moving ahead, holding each other’s hands on the path of development,” PM Modi said.Earlier in the day, Modi and President Nandi-Ndaitwah held bilateral talks and signed four agreements to strengthen cooperation in areas such as energy and healthcare.