The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora says it is reviewing how an unapproved draft of a Presidential Citation entered the public domain. This follows the Golden Jubilee National Day celebrations.
The ministry issued the clarification after an image of the citation for the “Guardian of the Blue Horizon” distinction circulated on social media and in sections of the press. This occurred after the conferral ceremony on 28 June 2026.
According to the ministry, the distinction is genuine. Cabinet instituted the honour on 24 June 2026. President Patrick Herminie conferred it on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the National Day celebrations.
The ministry said the title and the recognition of Mr Modi’s contribution to environmental stewardship, the Blue Economy and the aspirations of Small Island Developing States remain unchanged.
However, the ministry said the document circulating online was a pre-final working layout and never received official approval.
It said officials created the draft in part with digital design tools while preparing the citation under a compressed timeline.
The ministry acknowledged that the document contains typographical and spelling errors, including on the seal.
It also said the document did not bear the President’s actual signature.
“The signature shown is a placeholder used in the draft layout process and not an authenticated mark,” the ministry said.
The ministry said the draft was intended only for internal review and quality assurance. It added that the document should not have entered the public domain and that officials are reviewing how this occurred.
According to the ministry, the use of digital design software forms part of the standard process for preparing ceremonial documents. This is true particularly when timelines are limited.
The statement said the final version of a citation undergoes verification and formal approval before officials issue it.
The issue has also attracted criticism in India, particularly on social media, after errors in the draft citation came to light. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had earlier shared the certificate that later became the subject of scrutiny. They did this while praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for receiving the “Guardian of the Blue Horizon” distinction. The Ministry’s statement clarifies that the version in circulation was a pre-final working layout. It was not the approved citation.