CAIRO — Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed on Sunday a joint declaration to raise the level of cooperation between the two countries to strategic partnership, said Egypt’s Presidential spokesperson Ahmed Fahmy.

Such a signing reflects the two countries’ will to strengthen bilateral relations and affirms the shared and extended heritage between the governments and people of Egypt and India, the presidential spokesperson affirmed.

“We had the pleasure of receiving President El-Sisi as the chief guest at our Republic Day celebrations this year. These two visits in the span of a few months are a reflection of our rapidly evolving partnership with Egypt, which was elevated to a strategic partnership during El-Sisi’s visit,” Modi also said, according to Fahmy.

The declaration was signed after the two leaders met at Cairo’s Ittihadiya Palace to discuss topics of mutual interest such as increasing the volume of trade exchange, including of strategic commodities, as well as Indian investments in Egypt.

An agreement to elevate the bilateral relationship to a “Strategic Partnership” was signed by the leaders. Three MoUs in the fields of Agriculture, Archaeology & Antiquities and Competition Law were also signed.”

At the end of the meeting, the Egyptian president bestowed the Order of the Nile — the country’s highest state honor — on PM Modi.

Modi re-extended his invitation to Egypt to participate in the G20 meetings set to take place in New Delhi in September, said Fahmy.

For his part, President El-Sisi expressed his trust in India’s leadership of the G20 as well as his country’s readiness to push discussions in constructive directions to reach optimal mechanisms to face energy crises, climate change, food shortages, as well as obtain financing for developing countries.

Egypt is confident that India’s leadership will contribute to curbing the negative consequences of international challenges on global economy, El-Sisi asserted.

The two leaders also probed expanding tourism and cultural exchange through easing direct flights between Cairo and New Delhi, the spokesperson continued. Other topics discussed included communications, information technology, pharmaceutical manufacturing, vaccines, higher education, renewable energy and green hydrogen.

The Indian prime minister arrived in Egypt on Saturday on his first official visit upon invitation from El-Sisi in January. Modi was greeted by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Saturday and met with a number of other high-level government officials.

The discussions focused on deepening cooperation across a range of areas including trade & investment, renewable energy, green hydrogen, IT, digital payment platforms, pharma and people-to-people ties.

In his first engagement in Cairo, Modi held a meeting with the newly set up India Unit in the Egyptian Cabinet, headed by Egyptian PM Madbouly.

He also met the Grand Mufti of Egypt, Dr. Shawki Ibrahim Abdel-Karim Allam, and interact with Egyptian thought leaders. The Grand Mufti Dr. Shawki presented a special gift to Modi in Cairo.

Modi also visit Al-Hakim mosque, a historic and prominent mosque in Cairo, and spent half-an-hour there. He also visited the Heliopolis War Grave cemetery to pay tribute to the Indian soldiers who laid their lives during the First World War. — Agencies