PM Narendra Modi proceeds on Egypt tour

Cairo, 24 June (HS):- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left for a two-day official tour to Egypt, after completing his three-day American tour. Modi is visiting Egypt for the first time. The official visit of an Indian Prime Minister was undertaken way back in 1997. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi invited Modi to Egypt.

Besides holding discussions on improving bilateral diplomatic relations, commerce, and economic cooperation, Modi will visit the memorial of about 4,000 Indian martyrs of World War-I, who laid their lives while fighting for Egypt and Palestine. The memorial is called ?Heliopolis Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery?. He will also visit Al-Hakim Mosque in Cairo.

The programme of Modi?s tour has been finalised. As per local time, he will reach Cairo at 2.45 pm on June 24. He will attend a round table conference with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly at 5.10 pm and will address Indians in Egypt at 6.10 pm, meet Grand Mufti at 6.50 pm and hold a discussion with the elites of Egypt at 7.15 pm.

On June 25 Modi will visit Al-Hakim Mosque at 9.30 am, pay tributes at Heliopolis Commonwealth War Memorial at 10.30 am, and meet the President at 11 am and prominent diplomats. He will sign MoU (memorandum of Understanding) and then address the media at 2 pm. Modi will leave for India at 3 pm.

Indian Ambassador to Cairo Rajendra Gupte said that Indian and Egyptian civilisations are very old and share many similarities. The relations between the two countries are more than 4,000 years old. Both countries were connected by sea. In recent years, the relations were strengthened further after Al-Sisi and Modi took over. Gupte said that the friendship between Mahatma Gandhi and Sad Jaglal is well known. Egyptians watch Indian films and wish for cordial relations with Indians. India and Egypt have worked together for the non-alignment movement.

Hindusthan Samachar/ Ajay Mardikar/ Mukund/Indrani