PM Modi conferred Egypt’s highest state honour, countries elevate relations to ‘strategic partnership’

In the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Egypt in 26 years, India and Egypt elevated their relationship to a ‘Strategic Partnership’ after Modi and El-Sisi held wide-ranging talks with a particular focus on enhancing political and security cooperation.

Modi and El-Sisi inked the strategic partnership document after their wide-ranging talks encompassing further enhancing political and security cooperation, defence collaboration, trade and investment ties, scientific and academic exchanges and strengthening people-to-people contacts. “Besides the agreement on strategic partnership, the two countries also signed three more pacts on — agriculture and allied sectors; protection and preservation of monuments and archaeological sites; and competition law,” Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra told reporters.

Modi and El-Sisi also discussed further cooperation in G-20, highlighting the issues of food and energy insecurity, climate change and the need for the Global South to have a concerted voice. The Prime Minister also extended an invitation to El-Sisi to attend the G-20 Summit in New Delhi in September.

Before departing for India a few hours later, Modi visited Egypt’s historic 11th century Al-Hakim Mosque in Cairo, restored with the help of India’s Dawoodi Bohra community. The mosque mainly performs Friday prayers and all five obligatory prayers. The Prime Minister was seen appreciating the intricate carved inscriptions on the walls and doorways of the mosque which was built in 1012. Over a thousand years old, al-Hakim is the fourth oldest mosque in Cairo, and the second Fatimid mosque to be built in the city.

Honored to visit the historic Al-Hakim Mosque in Cairo. It’s a profound testament to Egypt’s rich heritage and culture. pic.twitter.com/4VgzkagHcB

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 25, 2023

Apart from touring the pyramids of Giza, he also visited the Heliopolis Commonwealth War Cemetery and offered tributes to the Indian soldiers who bravely fought and laid down their lives in Egypt and Palestine during the First World War. Modi offered floral tributes and signed the visitor’s book at the Cemetery that comprises the Heliopolis (Port Tewfik) Memorial and the Heliopolis (Aden) Memorial. The Heliopolis (Port Tewfik) Memorial commemorates nearly 4,000 Indian soldiers who died fighting in Egypt and Palestine in the First World War.

PM @narendramodi visited the Heliopolis War Memorial in Cairo. He paid homage to the supreme sacrifice made by countless Indian soldiers during the First World War. pic.twitter.com/l4rGbIcOud

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 25, 2023

Modi met members of the Indian community in Egypt, who hailed him as “India’s hero”. “Saara Hindustan sabka hero hai. Desh ke log mehnat karte, desh ki taraqqi hoti hai (Entire India, everyone’s hero. The people of the country work hard and the nation progresses),” the prime minister said.

At the Ritz Carlton hotel, where the PM’s delegation is staying, an Egyptian woman, Jena, dressed in a saree, greeted Modi with the popular song ‘Yeh Dosti Hum Nahi Todenge’ from the movie ‘Sholay’. “Kisi ko pata bhi nahi chalega ki aap Misr ki beti ho ya Hindustan ki beti ho (Nobody will be able to tell whether you are a daughter of Egypt or a daughter of India),” Modi said.

Warm welcome to @narendramodi Ji.
An Egyptian woman sings ‘Yeh Dosti Hum Nahi Todenge’ to welcome PM Modi in Cairo, Egypt. pic.twitter.com/bmLwaqmE0n

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) June 24, 2023

Modi discussed Egypt-India ties as well as issues related to promoting social harmony and countering extremism and radicalisation with the Grand Mufti of Egypt, Dr Shawky Ibrahim Abdel-Karim Allam. He apprised the Grand Mufti that India would set up a Centre of Excellence in IT at the Dar-al-Ifta – an Egyptian advisory body for Islamic legal research – under the Ministry of Social Justice of Egypt.

Modi met Hassan Allam, CEO of one of the largest Egyptian companies operating in the Middle East and North African region. The two leaders discussed possibilities of forging closer cooperation with Indian companies in renewable energy and green hydrogen.

PM Modi also met the renowned author and petroleum strategist Tarek Heggy in Cairo and discussed issues related to global geopolitics, and energy security. Among other people he met were prominent yoga instructors Reem Jabak and Nada Adel, and encouraged them to visit India.

My meeting with Mr. Hassan Allam, CEO of Hassan Allam Holding Company was a fruitful one. In addition to topics relating to the economy and investments, I really enjoyed hearing his passion towards preserving cultural heritage in Egypt. pic.twitter.com/fA5fyOzSkG

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 24, 2023

Modi is on a two-day visit to Egypt at the invitation of the President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. The visit, the first by any Indian PM since 1997, is of significance as Egypt has traditionally been one of India’s most important trading partners in the African continent. India-Egypt Bilateral Trade Agreement has been in operation since March 1978 and is based on the Most Favored Nation clause, according to the Egyptian Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS).

India was Egypt’s fifth largest trading partner in the period April 2022-Dec 2022. It was the 11th-largest importer of Egyptian goods and the 5th-largest exporter to Egypt during the same time. The two countries share a close political understanding based on a long history of contact and cooperation in bilateral, regional and global issues.

On his arrival in Cairo on Saturday, the Prime Minister was received by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly-led India Unit, a group of high-level ministers constituted by El-Sisi to improve the bilateral relationship between the two countries.

The Egypt tour follows Modi’s three-day visit to the US, which saw him attending bilateral meetings with US President Joe Biden, leading Yoga Day celebrations, addressing US Congress, speaking at press conference to meeting tech CEOs, Modi’s first state visit was a multi-faceted event.

With inputs from agencies