Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with the ‘Order of the Nile’ award, by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in capital Cairo on Sunday.

The ‘Order of the Nile’, is Egypt’s highest State honour. With the Egyptian State honour, the Indian Prime Minister has been bestowed with 13th State awards since he became the Prime Minister in 2014.

After concluding an immensely successful visit to Washington, where the Prime Minister signed vital agreements on defence and technology, Modi arrived in Egypt for the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 26 years. Egyptian PM Mostafa Madbouly had received Modi at the airport with a hug and a handshake on Saturday.

On his second day in Egypt, the Prime minister signed an agreement with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to elevate the bilateral relationship to a “Strategic Partnership”. They also discussed strengthening relations through defence & security, trade & investment, renewable energy, cultural and people to people ties.

Among various engagements, Modi also paid homage to the Indian soldiers who had sacrificed their lives in Egypt during the First World War at the Heliopolis War Memorial in Cairo. News agency PTI quoted Indian ambassador Ajit Gupte as saying: “It is a memorial for 3,799 Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in various battles in Egypt during the First World War…”.

Furthering India’s soft power diplomacy, Modi met with Egyptian Yoga teachers Nada Adel and Reem Jabak in Cairo. He praised their efforts at popularising yoga among the people in their country. It was due to the Prime Minister’s efforts that the UN had agreed to create an international day for yoga under the aegis of the international body.

Watch the video of Egyptian Yoga instructor Reem Jabak talk about her interaction with the Indian Prime Minister.

He had earlier met the Grand Mufti of Egypt, Prof. Shawky Ibrahim Allam about boosting India-Egypt ties and strengthening cultural and people-to-people linkages between the two civilisations. The Grand Mufti also praised Modi for his commitment to enhancing pluralism in India between different faiths and diverse communities.