The President of Egypt and the Prime Minister of India discussed strengthening ties in areas including trade, food security and defense.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo rare visit in which the two sides committed to deepening the strategic partnership.
Modi and el-Sisi “signed a joint statement to upgrade relations to a strategic partnership”, which they first announced in January when el-Sisi visited New Delhi, a spokesman for the general President of Egypt said on Sunday.
The two leaders agreed to boost investment by India – the world’s most populous country – in Egypt, which has the largest population in the Arab world and is currently facing an economic downturn.
Both sides said bilateral talks cover areas including trade and investment, renewable energy, information technology and pharmaceuticals.
The two also discussed “further cooperation within the G-20, highlighting food and energy insecurity, climate change and the need for the Southern Hemisphere to have a unified voice,” a statement said. A statement from Modi’s office said, adding that the talks also covered defense issues. and security constraints.
El-Sisi greeted Modi at the presidential palace in Cairo and presented him with the country’s highest medal, the Order of the Nile, as the two leaders affirmed their “joint commitment” to strengthening ties.
This will include “increasing high-level visits”, facilitating direct flights between capitals and “developing Indian investment in Egypt”, according to the presidential office in Cairo.
Last January, the two leaders agreed to increase India’s investment in Egypt, which currently stands at more than $3.15 billion, including through a “potential reserved land for industrial sectors”. Indian Industry in the Suez Canal Economic Zone”.
These projects include a $12 billion green hydrogen plant built by the Indian company ACME.
According to data from Cairo’s central bank, India is already Egypt’s seventh largest trading partner, with trade reaching $7 billion last year.
‘Historic visit’
Mr. Modi, who arrived in Cairo on Saturday, is the first Indian prime minister to make a state visit to Egypt in more than two decades. His two-day stop comes six months after el-Sisi arrived in New Delhi as an official guest on India’s Independence Day.
Modi also invited the Egyptian leader to the Group of 20 summit of the world’s top rich and developing countries, which India will host in September.
Earlier this year, both countries agreed to step up trade cooperation. India is one of the top five importers of Egyptian products, including crude oil and liquefied natural gas, salt, cotton, inorganic chemicals and oilseeds. Notable Indian exports to Egypt include cotton yarn, coffee, herbs, tobacco, lentils, car parts, ships, boats and electrical machinery.
My visit to Egypt was a historic one. It will reinvigorate India-Egypt relations and will benefit the people of our nations. I thank the president @AlsisiOfficialThe Egyptian government and people have given their love to them. pic.twitter.com/tpoTK3inxH
– Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 25, 2023
After his talks with el-Sisi, Mr. Modi visited a historic mosque, Al-Hakim in Cairo, which had just been renovated with the help of the India-based Dawoodi Bohra community. He also paid tribute to the Indian soldiers who died in World War I and were buried at the Heliopolis War Cemetery in Cairo.
Arindam Bagchi, a spokesman for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, said the two governments had signed agreements in the fields of agriculture, archaeology, antiquities and competition law.
“My visit to Egypt was a historic one. It will reinvigorate India-Egypt relations and will benefit the people of our countries,” Modi wrote on Twitter before departing for New Delhi.
