President of Egypt Mr. Abdel Fattah AI-Sisi, paid a State Visit to India from 01-03 September, 2016.
During the meeting of Prime Minister Modi with President AI-Sisi, the two leaders held extensive talks covering the entire gamut of bilateral relations.
The two leaders welcomed the recent exchanges on security cooperation and counterterrorism at the level of National Security Advisers, and welcomed the conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation between the two National Security Councils.
Prime Minister Modi thanked President Al-Sisi for the Egyptian participation in the World Sufi Forum held in New Delhi in March 2016. The participation of the Grand Mufti of Egypt enriched the content of the Forum.
President Al-Sisi appreciated Prime Minister Modi’s gesture of supplying 20,000 MT of rice to Egypt at friendship price last month.
The two leaders agreed to collaborate in the field of information and communications technology; agriculture; biotechnology; renewable and non-conventional energy; and skills development and encouraged full participation of the private sector enterprises in these endeavours.
The two leaders agreed to expand cooperation in the field of space utilising India’s expertise in launching satellites and other advances in space technology. They agreed to explore the possibilities of joint projects on space application under existing institutional arrangements.
Prime Minister Modi was pleased to announce that the first Indian Chair in the Arab world was established in Ain Shams University, Cairo and an Indian professor of Biotechnology would begin his tenure shortly.
The two leaders agreed that a special and enlarged “India by the Nile Festival” would be held in 2017 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of India’s independence. They also welcomed the proposal to have the inaugural “Egypt by the Ganga Festival” in 2017.
The two leaders concurred that the signing of the Agreement on Maritime Transport between India and Egypt during the visit will further intensify bilateral cooperation by facilitating not only maritime commerce but also transit of naval vessels.