During the final day of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Cairo, a strategic partnership treaty was signed between India and Egypt. This significant agreement had been previously discussed and agreed upon when Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi visited New Delhi in January of this year as the chief guest for the Republic Day parade.

Cairo has expressed a strong interest in attracting more Indian investments and has proposed that New Delhi leverage Egypt's strategic geographical location as a gateway to three key regions: Europe, West Asia, and the entire African continent. Furthermore, Egypt has extended an invitation to India, offering the potential establishment of an industrial zone within its borders. 

"My visit to Egypt was a historic one. It will add renewed vigour to India-Egypt relations and will benefit the people of our nations. I thank President @AlsisiOfficial, the Government and the people of Egypt for their affection," Modi tweeted.

By garnering Egyptian support, India's position as a leader of the Global South would be significantly strengthened. Additionally, forging closer ties with an Arab nation outside of the Persian Gulf region would enhance India's diplomatic relations and expand its influence in the Arab world.

Modi's two-day state visit to Egypt at the invitation of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is also the first bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister since 1997. (Image: Twitter)

During a media briefing regarding Prime Minister Modi's visit, which marked the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Egypt in 26 years, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra announced the signing of four significant MoUs and agreements. Among them, the most crucial and noteworthy was the "Strategic Partnership" agreement between India and Egypt, described as both important and groundbreaking. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Heliopolis Commonwealth War Cemetery, in Cairo. (PTI Photo)

"The two leaders had a private one-on-one conversation during which, following up on the India visit of President Sisi earlier this year, the two leaders discussed a whole range of bilateral cooperation and also took stock of what is happening on important issues of the region and the world," Kwatra said.

 Exchange of MOUs/ Strategic Partnership document during their meeting at President House, in Cairo on June 25. (PTI Photo)

"It was clear from those discussions and the MoU and agreements signed later on that the two leaders gave a particular focus on enhancing the political and security cooperation, defence collaboration, trade and investment ties, scientific and academic collaboration and strengthening of people to people ties," he said.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi confers Prime Minister Narendra Modi with 'Order of the Nile' award - Egypt's highest state honour, during their meeting in Cairo on June 25. (PTI Photo)

In addition to the strategic partnership agreement, the Foreign Secretary revealed that India and Egypt also signed three additional pacts during the visit. These pacts encompassed cooperation in the fields of agriculture and allied sectors, the protection and preservation of monuments and archaeological sites, as well as collaboration in the domain of competition law. 

PM Modi during his visit to Al-Hakim mosque in Cairo in Egypt on Sunday. (PTI Photo)

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