Modi hands over Padma Shri to ex-Singapore diplomat

Singapore, June 1 (IANS) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday handed over the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honour, to former Singapore diplomat Tommy Koh.

Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted that Modi handed over the award to Koh in the presence of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong here.

"The award was announced in January 2018 on the occasion of silver jubilee of India-Asean partnership and our Republic Day," Kumar added.

In an unprecedented move to promote India-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) ties under New Delhi's Act East Policy, Modi announced awarding of the Padma Shri to one achiever from each of the regional bloc's 10 member states. 

The Asean comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Koh got the award for his contribution to public affairs.

Modi arrived here on Wednesday on the third and final leg of his five-day tour of southeast Asia.