Kwatra said during a special press conference on PM Modi’s travel to Egypt and the US that the signing of the “strategic partnership” agreement marked a turning point in the relationship between India and Egypt.

The Order of the Nile honour, which the President of Egypt so graciously presented to the Prime Minister of India, Kwatra said, “is really a symbol but also a substance of the strength of India-Egypt partnership. As I said today, we achieved a landmark point in our relationship when the document of the strategic partnership was signed between the two countries. Therefore, it is only appropriate that today’s event was conducted to present the Prime Minister with the Order of the Nile award.

‘Order of the Nile’ was presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Sunday in Cairo. It was PM Modi’s thirteenth such state accolade of this nature.

According to Kwatra, PM Modi invited Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to the G20 Summit, which will take place in the nation’s capital, New Delhi, in September, during his State visit.

Kwatra reported on the former’s Sunday visits to the Al-Hakim Mosque and Heliopolis War Cemetery, quoting PM Modi as saying that the recognition symbolises the deep relationship between the two nations and the people of the two societies.

President Sisi awarded Prime Minister Modi the order of the Nile Honour, the highest civilian honour outside of Egypt, in a very pleasant event. The great affinity between the two countries and the citizens of the two societies, as stated by the Prime Minister, is what the recognition plainly symbolises, Kwatra said.

According to Kwatra, PM Modi met with Egyptian President El-Sisi and addressed the full gamut of bilateral cooperation while also taking stock of the state of the major international and regional concerns.

“His Excellency, President Sisi, warmly welcomed and received the honourable Prime Minister in the Al-Ittihadiya Palace where he had a programme at the presidency. Following up on His Excellency the President of Egypt’s recent visit to India, the two leaders had a private one-on-one conversation, Kwatra added.

The two leaders “took stock of what’s occurring on major issues in the region and in the world and addressed the full range of bilateral cooperation. From those conversations, the MOU, and the agreements that were later signed, it was abundantly clear that the two leaders placed special emphasis on advancing political and security cooperation, defence cooperation, trade and investment ties, academic and scientific cooperation, and strengthening people-to-people ties.

In Cairo on Saturday, PM Modi and his Egyptian counterpart Mostafa Madbouly participated in a roundtable discussion. During his two days in the Arab country, he also visited with thought leaders in Egypt. PM Modi and Hassan Allam, CEO of one of the biggest Egyptian businesses operating in the Middle East and North Africa region, had a fruitful conversation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Mohamed Medhat Hassan Allam, CEO of Hassan Allam Properties, in Cairo, Egypt, said Arindam Bagchi on Twitter. Hassan Allam, CEO of Hassan Allam Holding Company, one of the biggest Egyptian businesses active in the Middle East and North Africa, and PM @narendramodi had a successful meeting.