Egypt, India upgrade relations to strategic partnership during Modi's Cairo visit

ISTANBUL

Egypt and India on Sunday signed a declaration to raise their cooperation to strategic partnership.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Cairo on Saturday on his first visit to Egypt for talks on ways of enhancing relations between the two countries.

On Sunday, Modi met with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi where they signed a declaration to upgrade bilateral relations to the level of strategic partnership, the Egyptian Presidency said in a statement.

The two leaders also held talks on a host of regional and international issues of mutual concern, the statement said.

Modi extended his invitation to Egypt to participate in the G20 meeting in New Delhi in September, the statement said.

Sisi, for his part, said Egypt is ready to push discussions in constructive directions to reach optimal mechanisms to face energy crises, climate change, food shortages, as well as obtaining financing for developing countries.

“Egypt is confident that India’s leadership of the G20 will contribute to curbing the negative consequences of international challenges on global economy,” Sisi said.

During their meeting, Sisi bestowed the Order of the Nile – the country’s highest state honor – on the Indian prime minister.

Modi's two-day visit came as Egypt and India mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Sisi visited New Delhi last January.

The last visit of an Indian prime minister to Egypt was in 1997.

Egyptian-Indian trade exchange is estimated at around $7 billion, according to official Egyptian data.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi