Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for conferring him with the country's highest state decoration -- Order of St Andrew -- for exceptional services in promoting a special and privileged strategic partnership between Russian and India.

"Honoured to receive this prestigious award. I thank President Putin and the people of Russia. Foundations of India-Russia friendship are deep & the future of our partnership is bright. Extensive cooperation between our nations has led to extraordinary outcomes for our citizens," the Prime Minister tweeted.

The Prime Minister noted that the Russian President remains a source of great strength for the India-Russia friendship.

"President Putin remains a source of great strength for the India-Russia friendship. Under his visionary leadership, bilateral and multilateral cooperation between our nations has scaled new heights," read another tweet by Modi.

The Order of St Andrew the Apostle the First-Called is the highest and the oldest civilian award of Russia, first established in 1698. It was abolished under the erstwhile Soviet Union but re-established in 1998.

The Executive State Order was signed by President Putin.

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