In Egypt, PM Modi to honour 4,000 Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives in World War I

During his upcoming Egypt visit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay tributes to Indian soldiers who valiantly fought and lost their lives during World War I. During his visit, PM Modi will visit the Heliopolis Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery in Cairo, a solemn site that serves as a memorial to nearly 4,000 soldiers from the Indian Army who served and perished in Egypt and Palestine during the First World War.

The cemetery's entrance features pavilions housing the Heliopolis (Port Tewfik) Memorial, a tribute to the brave Indian soldiers. Tragically, the original memorial at Port Tewfik was destroyed during the Israeli-Egyptian conflict in the 1970s. PM Modi has consistently emphasised the remarkable contributions of Indian soldiers in both World Wars.

In 2015, he visited the Neuve-Chapelle war memorial in Lille, France, to honour the thousands of Indian soldiers who laid down their lives while fighting alongside the French during World War 1. Last year, during the visit of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to Egypt, a similar gesture was made to honour the Indian soldiers. Reflecting on their sacrifices, Jaishankar tweeted, "Indians have made sacrifices across the world in the service of humanity. They inspire us as we strive to create a more contemporary and equitable global order."

The upcoming visit to Egypt holds great significance for India's diplomatic ties with the country. PM Modi is scheduled to travel to Egypt from the 24th to the 25th of this month, following his state visit to the United States from the 21st to the 24th. This visit can be seen as a reciprocal gesture, strengthening the relationship between the two nations, especially after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's visit to India as the chief guest during the Republic Day celebrations earlier this year.

One of the key outcomes expected from the visit is the signing pact that will see India-Egypt ties being elevated to Strategic Partnership, as announced during President Sisi's visit to India. This development signifies a deeper commitment to collaboration and cooperation between the two nations. Furthermore, a series of agreements and pacts are anticipated to be signed during the visit.

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In recent years, India and Egypt have forged closer ties, with a mutual emphasis on various sectors like defence, education etc. India's chairmanship of the G20 has also led to an invitation for Egypt to attend the G20 summit in Delhi in September this year, further underscoring the importance of their bilateral relationship.

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