Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Cairo on June 24 for a two-day state visit at the invitation of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, as the two nations seek to enhance their strategic partnership.

This is the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Egypt in 26 years.

He was warmly welcomed by Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly at the airport and inspected a guard of honour.

“Apart from his talks with President El-Sisi, the Prime Minister is likely to interact with senior dignitaries from the Egyptian government, some prominent Egyptian personalities, as well as the Indian community in Egypt,” the MEA had said. “Relations between India and Egypt are based on ancient trade and economic linkages as well as cultural and deep-rooted people-to-people ties,” it said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay tribute to the Indian soldiers who fought and lost their lives in Egypt and Palestine during World War I on his first visit to Egypt, which began on Saturday. 

During the State visit of President El-Sisi to India in January, it was agreed to elevate the relationship between the two countries to a strategic partnership. He will also meet members of the Indian community living in the African nation.

During his two-day June 24 to 25 State visit, he will hold a roundtable meeting with the Egyptian PM and also meet President El-Sisi.

"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 programs," Prime Minister Modi tweeted after landing in Cairo.

PM Modi is scheduled to meet the Grand Mufti of Egypt, Dr Shawki Ibrahim Abdel-Karim Allam, today and will also interact with Egyptian thought leaders.

On Sunday, PM Modi will visit Al-Hakim Mosque. The Prime Minister will spend nearly half an hour at the Al-Hakim Mosque-- a historic and prominent mosque in Cairo named after Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah (985-1021), the 16th Fatimid caliph.

The visit 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).

Image source: Telegraph India