Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a state visit to Egypt since Saturday, holding discussions with his Egyptian counterpart Mostafa Madbouly and top Cabinet ministers on deepening trade relations and further strengthening the strategic partnership.
Modi is visiting Egypt at the invitation of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. This is the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Egypt in 26 years.
Modi began his visit with discussions with Egyptian Prime Minister Madbouly and top Cabinet ministers to deepen trade relations and further strengthen the strategic partnership.
The Prime Minister also met the Grand Mufti of Egypt Dr Shawki Ibrahim Abdel-Karim Allam and interacted with the members of the Indian diaspora.
He also met the members of the Indian diaspora and the Bohra community.
The Prime Minister’s meeting with the Bohra community members comes ahead of his visit on Sunday to Cairo’s historic Al-Hakim Mosque, restored with the help of India’s Dawoodi Bohra community.
The Bohra community in India actually originated from the Fatima dynasty and they have renovated the mosque from the 1970s onwards.
This is the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Egypt in 26 years.
Earlier, in a special gesture, Modi was welcomed at the airport here by Egypt’s Prime Minister with a warm embrace, accorded a ceremonial welcome and a Guard of Honour.
“I am confident this visit will strengthen India’s ties with Egypt. I look forward to talks with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and attending other programmes,” Prime Minister Modi tweeted after landing in Cairo.
Modi’s first official engagement was a meeting with the India Unit, a group of high-level ministers constituted by President El-Sisi in March to further enhance the relationship with India.
The two leaders had decided to elevate the relationship to the level of strategic partnership during El-Sisi’s visit to India as the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations this year.
