25 June 2023; MEMO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has conferred Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the country's highest state honour, the "Order of the Nile" today. Modi who is on the second and final day of his official visit to the country arrived in Cairo where he was received by his Egyptian counterpart Mostafa Madbouly.
It is the first official visit by an Indian prime minister to the North African country in 26 years and follows Modi's maiden state visit to the US earlier this week.
Modi who was invited by Sisi signed a number of memoranda of understanding in the Egyptian capital, and comes as a reciprocal gesture after Sisi attended India's Republic Day celebrations as Chief Guest earlier this year.
During Modi's Egypt trip, the prime minister met several members of the Indian community in Egypt and paid a visit to the Heliopolis Commonwealth War Cemetery, where he offered floral tributes and signed a visitor's book to commemorate the soldiers of the British Indian army who fought in Egypt and Palestine during the First World War.
The Indian statesman also visited Egypt's 11th century Al-Hakim Mosque in Cairo, which was recently restored with the help of India's Dawoodi Bohra community.
Yesterday, Modi also met with the Grand Mufti of Egypt, Dr Shawky Allam. Modi is reported to have informed the Mufti that India would set up a Centre of Excellence in IT at the Dar Al-Ifta – Egypt's official religious institution tasked with drafting edicts, or fatwas.
According to India's External Affairs Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi, "They discussed the strong cultural & people to people relations between India and Egypt. Discussions also focused on issues related to social and religious harmony in society and countering extremism and radicalization."
"I was honoured to meet Prime Minister Modi. It was a very nice and interesting meeting. In fact, he reflects a wise leadership for a big country like India," the Grand Mufti was quoted as saying. Dr Allam previously met with Modi during his official visit to India in May as part of efforts to enhance cultural ties and interfaith dialogue.
