PM Modi arrives in Egypt to elevate trade, defense ties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Cairo, Egypt, on Saturday for a two-day state visit to the country after his maiden state visit to the United States concluded. Notably, this is the first bilateral visit by any Indian prime minister to the country since 1997. He will likely seek to elevate bilateral ties with Egypt in defense and trade besides tackling cross-border terrorism issues.
Why does this story matter?
PM Modi's visit to Egypt is noteworthy in many aspects since it comes amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis and the global economic meltdown. Besides geopolitical issues, his trip is expected to focus on diplomatic and commercial objectives. Egypt might also hope to capitalize on his visit under India's G20 presidency since it will be one of nine guest countries at the G20 Summit in 2023.
PM Modi likely to meet with government dignitaries, Indian diaspora
PM Modi's visit comes in response to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's invitation—which he extended to the former in January when he was the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi. It is his first trip to Egypt as the PM. Apart from talks with El-Sisi, PM Modi is expected to meet with senior government officials, VIPs, and the Indian diaspora.
Itinerary includes World War I memorial, 11th-century mosque
During his visit to Egypt, PM Modi will also pay a visit to the Heliopolis War Memorial, a commemorative site established by the Commonwealth to honor 3,799 Indian soldiers who were martyred in Egypt during World War I. Additionally, he will also tour the 11th-century Al-Hakim mosque, which has been restored with the support of the Dawoodi Bohra community.
India, Egypt already forged alliance in security, other sectors
Reportedly, India and Egypt have already agreed to take joint and tangible actions against cross-border terrorism. In January, the two sides also signed five agreements for collaboration in the fields of culture, information technology, cyber security, youth issues, and broadcasting. Moreover, PM Modi earlier said India and Egypt have decided to take the bilateral trade to $12 billion in the next five years.
Bilateral ties in tourism and defense cooperation
During his state visit to India in January, El-Sisi noted that talks were also held to strengthen the bilateral connection. Additionally, he said Egypt wished to see an increase in the number of Indian visitors. "We discussed regional and global issues of mutual interests. We also deliberate on bilateral defense cooperation," he had said while endorsing PM Modi's views on terrorism.
