PM Modi during Egypt visit to pay tribute to Indian soldiers who lost their lives during World War I

CAIRO: Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his first visit to Egypt beginning on Saturday will pay tribute to the brave Indian soldiers who fought and lost their lives in Egypt and Palestine during World War I.

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

He will visit the Heliopolis Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery here, 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 World War I.

"We are informed that the Prime Minister will soon come to visit the cemetery. Egyptians are generous people and will welcome him," Marwan, a local resident, said.

"The Commonwealth Cemetery is known to be for the soldiers who fought here during the World War. We always welcome visitors and tourists here and in Egypt in general, especially the Indian Prime Minister. We are honoured to have him visit us anywhere in Egypt," Mahmoud, who works next to the cemetery, said.

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.

In his departure statement on June 20, Modi said, "I am excited to pay a State Visit to a close and friendly country for the first time."

"We had the pleasure of receiving President 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 President Sisi's visit.

"I look forward to my discussions with President Sisi and senior members of the Egyptian Government to impart further momentum to our civilizational and multi-faceted partnership. I will also have the opportunity to interact with the vibrant Indian diaspora in Egypt," Modi said.