PM Modi’s Egypt Go to: Highest honour, strategic partnership, and visits to Al-Hakim mosque and pyramids garner consideration

Imparting new momentum, India and Egypt on Sunday elevated their relationship to a ‘Strategic Partnership’ after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi held wide-ranging talks with a selected give attention to enhancing political and safety cooperation. Modi, who made a state go to to Egypt on the invitation of the President, held a non-public one-on-one dialog with El-Sisi on the Ittihadia Palace throughout which they reviewed essential developments within the area and the world.

This was the primary bilateral go to by an Indian Prime Minister to Egypt in 26 years.

Modi and El-Sisi inked the strategic partnership doc after their wide-ranging talks encompassing additional enhancing political and safety cooperation, defence collaboration, commerce and funding ties, scientific and tutorial exchanges and strengthening people-to-people contacts.

“In addition to the settlement on strategic partnership, the 2 international locations additionally signed three extra pacts on — agriculture and allied sectors; safety and preservation of monuments and archaeological websites; and competitors regulation,” International Secretary Vinay Kwatra informed reporters in Cairo.

El-Sisi additionally conferred the ‘Order of the Nile’ honour on Modi, the thirteenth highest state honour to be awarded to the Prime Minister.

“It’s with nice humility that I settle for the ‘Order of the Nile.’ I thank the Authorities and folks of Egypt for this honour. It signifies the heat and affection they’ve in the direction of India and the individuals of our nation,” Modi stated in a tweet.

Modi and El-Sisi additionally mentioned additional cooperation in G-20, highlighting the problems of meals and vitality insecurity, local weather change and the necessity for the International South to have a concerted voice.
The Prime Minister additionally prolonged an invite to El-Sisi to attend the G-20 Summit in New Delhi in September.

“My go to to Egypt was a historic one. It would add renewed vigour to India-Egypt relations and can profit the individuals of our nations. I thank President El-Sisi, the Authorities and the individuals of Egypt for his or her affection,” Modi stated on Twitter as he departed for India Sunday night.

Spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency Ahmed Fahmy stated the 2 leaders held talks on the summit degree, throughout which they confirmed the distinct joint historic relations between the 2 international locations and the mutual dedication to pushing them to broader horizons throughout varied fields, particularly by way of intensifying mutual visits by senior officers from either side.

Modi’s go to to Egypt follows the state go to by President El-Sisi to New Delhi in January.

It additionally coincides with the seventy fifth anniversary of the institution of diplomatic relations between Egypt and India.

“The assembly between the 2 leaders touched on methods to reinforce bilateral relations throughout many fields, primarily communications and IT, pharmaceutical industries, vaccines, greater schooling, renewable vitality together with inexperienced hydrogen, along with tourism and tradition by way of direct flights between Cairo and New Delhi,” Fahmy stated in a press assertion.

That is along with boosting commerce and the trade of strategic items between the 2 international locations, in addition to creating Indian investments in Egypt within the coming interval.

“Views have been exchanged on the developments of a lot of regional and worldwide problems with widespread curiosity. President El-Sisi expressed Egypt’s confidence in India’s lively presidency of the G20 summit; one which contributes to containing the detrimental repercussions of worldwide challenges on the worldwide economic system,” the spokesman stated.

The President confused Egypt’s full readiness to cooperate with India to advance talks in a constructive path, in a manner that permits reaching optimum methods to handle vitality crises, local weather change, meals shortages, and entry to financing for creating international locations.

Modi visits Al-Hakim Mosque and pyramids

Earlier, Modi visited the historic Eleventh-century Al-Hakim Mosque, which was just lately renovated with the assistance of the Dawoodi Bohra group, which has robust hyperlinks with India, notably the prime minister’s dwelling state of Gujarat.

Modi and his Egyptian counterpart Mostafa Madbouly additionally toured the long-lasting pyramids of Giza on the outskirts of Cairo.

“I thank PM Mostafa Madbouly for accompanying me to the Pyramids. We had a wealthy dialogue on the cultural histories of our nations and find out how to deepen these linkages within the occasions to come back,” Modi stated.

PM pays homage to WWI Indian troopers

The Prime Minister additionally visited the Heliopolis Commonwealth Battle Cemetery the place he paid homage to the Indian troopers who laid down their lives in Egypt through the First World Battle.

“A tribute to India’s courageous troopers, whose braveness won’t ever be forgotten. On the Heliopolis Battle Memorial, I paid homage to our courageous troopers who sacrificed their lives within the First World Battle in Egypt,” Modi stated on Twitter.

The Prime Minister arrived in Cairo on Saturday afternoon to a ceremonial welcome on the airport, the place he additionally inspected the guard of honour.

Madbouly welcomed him with a heat embrace.

Later, Modi held a gathering with the Madbouly-led India Unit, a particular group of high-level ministers arrange by El-Sisi to additional enhance the connection with India.

Modi meets Grand Mufti of Egypt 

On Saturday, the Prime Minister met with the Grand Mufti of Egypt Shawky Ibrahim Abdel-Karim Allam, and mentioned points associated to selling social concord and countering extremism and radicalisation.

Modi met members of the Indian group in Egypt who showered fulsome reward on him, hailing him as ‘India’s hero’.

The Prime Minister additionally met outstanding personalities in Egypt, together with Hassan Allam, CEO of one of many largest Egyptian firms working within the Center East and North African area, and Tarek Heggy, a famend writer and petroleum strategist.

Prime Minister Modi additionally held a heat dialog with two younger outstanding Yoga instructors, Reem Jabak and Nada Adel. He praised them for his or her dedication to Yoga and inspired them to go to India.