Outgoing President of the United States Donald Trump has conferred the prestigious Legion of Merit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, a White House official said.

Trump presented the award, one of the highest military honours of the US, for his leadership in elevating bilateral strategic partnership and accelerating emergence of India as a global power.

Taranjit Singh Sandhu, India’s ambassador to the US, accepted the award on behalf of Modi from the US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien at the White House on Monday.

O’Brien in a tweet said Trump “presented the Legion of Merit to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his leadership in elevating the US-India strategic partnership.”

The Indian Prime Minister was presented with the highest degree Chief Commander of the Legion Of Merit, which is given only to the Heads of State or Government.

He was honoured for building a steadfast leadership and a vision that has uplifted India as a global power.

“The award is in recognition of the Prime Minister's steadfast leadership and vision for India's emergence as a global power, and exemplary contribution made by him for the advancement of the India-United States strategic partnership and promoting global peace and prosperity,” the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi said in a statement.

O'Brien in another tweet said that Trump also presented the Legion of Merit to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe. The awards were received by their respective ambassadors in Washington DC.

Other awards include Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud by Saudi Arabia in 2016, State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan (2016), Grand Collar of the State of Palestine Award (2018), Order of Zayed Award by the United Arab Emirates (2019), Order of St Andrew by Russia (2019), Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin by the Maldives (2019).