Story perspectives

Bhutan Honors Modi With Order of the Druk Gyalpo

By Drooid · Oct 7, 2026, 10:16 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked 25 years of continuous leadership on Oct 7 2026.
Bhutan awarded Modi the Order of the Druk Gyalpo, its highest civilian honor and first to a foreign leader.
The Digital India initiative has enrolled over 144 crore citizens in the Aadhaar biometric system.
India’s COVID-19 vaccination effort administered more than 220 crore doses through the CoWIN digital platform.

History

Historical Context

India launched the Aadhaar biometric ID in 2009, establishing the UIDAI under Nandan Nilekani’s chairmanship. By 2025 it covered 99.9% of adults, issuing over 1.39 billion numbers, which later enabled Prime Minister Narendra Modi to run nationwide COVID-19 vaccination through CoWIN. The Supreme Court’s 2013 ruling that Aadhaar is voluntary cemented its role in digital public services.

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Story summary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked 25 years of continuous leadership on Oct 7 2026.
Bhutan awarded Modi the Order of the Druk Gyalpo, its highest civilian honor and first to a foreign leader.
The Digital India initiative has enrolled over 144 crore citizens in the Aadhaar biometric system.
India’s COVID-19 vaccination effort administered more than 220 crore doses through the CoWIN digital platform.

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