Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday received the Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross, which is Brazil's highest civilian honour, from President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stood beside Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for a photograph after receiving the Southern Cross Medal during their meeting at the Alvorada Palace in Brasilia.

The honour was given to recognise Prime Minister Modi’s role in strengthening the partnership between India and Brazil and in promoting cooperation on both regional and international matters.

"Being awarded Brazil's highest national honour by the President today is a moment of great pride and sentiment, not just for me, but also for 140 crore Indians," Modi said during a joint press briefing with President Lula after the delegation-level talks.

"I offer my sincerest thanks to him (President Lula), the government of Brazil, and the people of Brazil," he further added.

Modi also said that President Lula played a key role in building the strategic relationship between India and Brazil and that the award reflected the shared commitment to grow this partnership.

"The award was as much an honour to his tireless efforts to bring the bilateral relations to even higher levels," the Ministry of External Affairs stated in a release.

The Prime Minister said that this recognition would inspire the people of both countries to make their warm and friendly ties even stronger, as mentioned in the official release.

Later, in a post on social media, Modi said the award stood for the deep feelings of friendship that the people of Brazil have towards the people of India.

"May our friendship scale even newer heights of success in the times to come," he posted.

This becomes the 26th award received by Prime Minister Modi from a foreign government since he took office in May 2014.

India and Brazil also signed six agreements during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit, focusing on cooperation in key areas such as security, digital infrastructure, renewable energy, agriculture, and intellectual property.

One of the agreements was aimed at addressing international terrorism and transnational organised crime, along with a memorandum for the exchange of large-scale digital solutions to aid digital transformation.

The two countries also agreed to work together in renewable energy and agricultural research, with an MoU signed between Brazil’s EMBRAPA and India’s Council of Agricultural Research.

Another agreement was signed for the exchange and protection of confidential information between both countries.

An additional MoU on intellectual property was signed between India’s Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade and Brazil’s Secretariat of Competitiveness and Regulatory Policy, which operates under the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services.

India and Brazil also jointly announced the formation of a ministerial-level mechanism to oversee trade, commerce, and investment between the two countries.