Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, is set to embark on a significant state visit to Egypt on June 24-25, upon the invitation of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. This visit holds great significance as it marks Modi’s first trip to Egypt and also serves as the first official bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Egypt since 1997. While there have been intermittent visits in the past, they were primarily for multilateral events.
Modi’s visit follows President el-Sisi’s visit to India as the chief guest on Republic Day. The Prime Minister is expected to arrive in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, on the afternoon of June 24. The itinerary for the visit is as follows:
On June 24, Modi will kick off the visit by engaging with the India unit, a select group of high-level ministers formed by President el-Sisi upon his return from India in March. Additionally, he will interact with the small Indian community residing in Egypt, and is likely to meet notable individuals from the community.
On June 25, Modi will visit the Al-Hakim Mosque, an 11th-century mosque that has been refurbished by the Dawoodi Bohra community. Following this, he will pay tribute to Indian soldiers who fought for Egypt during World War I by visiting the Heliopolis war grave cemetery on Nabil el Wakkad Street.
Later in the day, the Prime Minister will participate in official engagements at the Egyptian presidency, including bilateral talks with President el-Sisi. During this time, several memoranda of understanding (MOUs) and agreements are expected to be signed between the two nations.
After completing his engagements, Modi will return to India.
Vinay Mohan Kwatra, the Foreign Secretary of India, highlighted the strong political exchanges between India and Egypt, with intense ministerial-level interactions taking place. Previously, the Indian External Affairs Minister, Defense Minister, and Minister of Environment have visited Egypt, while several Egyptian government ministers have also made trips to India.
Kwatra further mentioned that the delegation led by the Chairperson of the Suez Canal Authority is currently visiting India.