PM Modi’s power-packed US tour concludes, aircraft leaves for Egypt

Washington: Concluding his first state visit to the United States on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for Egypt for a two-day visit to the Arab nation. Tweeted, “The end of a very special USA trip, where I had the opportunity to participate in several events and interactions aimed at accelerating India-USA friendship. Our countries are working together to make our planet a better place for generations to come.” Will continue to work together for.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During his US visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended various events and met top Indian and American CEOs. Upon his arrival he was given a ceremonial welcome at the White House and a guard of honor. He was hosted by US President Joe Biden as well as First Lady Jill Biden for a state dinner at the White House, as well as a state lunch hosted by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Vice President Kamala Harris.

Before flying to Egypt, PM Modi interacted with the Indian expatriate at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington DC and compared the meeting to a “sweet dish” in his farewell speech. On his arrival in Egypt, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold various programs with leaders there and the Indian diaspora.

The Prime Minister will spend about half an hour at the Al-Hakim Mosque – a historic and prominent mosque in Cairo named after the 16th Fatimid Caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah (985-1021). The Al-Hakim Bi-Amr Allah Mosque is an important cultural site for the Dawoodi Bohra community in Cairo. During his first visit to Egypt, PM Modi will also visit the Heliopolis War Grave Cemetery to pay homage to the Indian soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice fighting for Egypt during World War I.

Notably, PM Modi is visiting Egypt at the invitation of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, which he extended in January 2023 when he attended India’s Republic Day celebrations as the ‘chief guest’. The visit assumes significance as Egypt has traditionally been one of India’s most important trading partners in the African continent. According to the Egyptian Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), the India-Egypt bilateral trade agreement is in force since March 1978 and is based on the Most Favored Nation clause.

India was Egypt’s fifth largest trading partner in the April 2022-December 2022 period. It was the 11th largest importer of Egyptian goods and the 5th largest exporter of Egyptian goods during the same time period. Furthermore, India and Egypt share a close political understanding based on a long history of contact and cooperation on bilateral, regional and global issues.