Cairo: Indian Ambassador to Egypt Ajit Gupte has said that India’s multi-faceted relationship with Egypt has been transformed into a ‘strategic partnership’ this year and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s maiden state visit to the important West Asian nation will further boost bilateral strategic ties. Will get Modi will reach Cairo on Saturday evening at the invitation of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. This will be the first visit to Egypt by an Indian Prime Minister since 1997. Gupte said, ‘We are very hopeful about Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Cairo from June 24 to June 25. This visit is a very historic occasion, because earlier in 1997, an Indian Prime Minister had made an official state visit to the country.
Modi will hold talks with al-Sisi on Sunday and discuss ways to give impetus to the strategic partnership between the two major countries. In his departure statement on Tuesday in New Delhi, the Prime Minister said, “I am excited to make the first state visit to a close and friendly country (Egypt).” Had the privilege of welcoming President Sisi as the Chief Guest at the ceremony. These two visits, spaced a few months apart, offer a glimpse of our fast-evolving partnership with Egypt, which was transformed into a “strategic partnership” during President Sisi’s visit.
Modi had said, “I look forward to my talks with President Sisi and senior members of the Egyptian government to further accelerate the civilizational and multi-faceted partnership between the two countries.” I will also have the opportunity to interact with the Indian diaspora in Egypt. Gupte said that Egypt and India have close defense ties. He said that ‘both countries have been participating in joint exercises, training programs etc. for many years. But our defense cooperation has grown stronger in the last two years and I am happy to say that 30 defense delegations from India have visited Egypt during this period. About seven defense delegations from Egypt have visited India in the last two years.
Gupte said that for the first time, fighter jets of Indian and Egyptian air forces also carried out a joint military exercise. On the strategic partnership between the two countries, Gupte said, “The people of India and Egypt share a very deep friendship, but the relationship was not accorded any special status. However, this has now become possible in view of the increasing trade, defense and economic cooperation in the last few years.” It is done with those with whom that country wants to have a very special relationship.
On inviting Egypt as the guest country for G-20, Gupte said, ‘We have invited nine guest countries and Egypt is one of them. Egypt is the most populous Arab country and is located at a strategically important place. Gupte said that Egypt has a lot of influence in the Arab world. So Egypt is a very important regional player and it reflects the aspirations of the developing countries. We think that Egypt’s participation in the G-20 will be very useful.
During his stay in Cairo, the Prime Minister will visit the ‘Heliopolis Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery’, a sacred site dedicated to the memory of approximately 3,799 soldiers of the Indian Army who served and died in Egypt and Palestine during World War I. There is a monument. Modi will also visit the 11th-century Al-Hakim Mosque, restored with the help of the Dawoodi Bohra community. The mosque was built during the rule of the Fatimid dynasty. The Bora community in India actually originated from the Fatimid dynasty and they renovated the mosque from the 1970s. Modi will also meet the Indian community during the visit.
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