Indian PM visits Egypt

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Egypt's capital Cairo for the first state visit on the second leg of his two-nation tour.

PM Modi arrived in Cairo for after wrapping up a "successful visit to the US," The Hindustan Times reports

The visit is at the invitation of Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of Egypt, which he extended to PM Modi in January when he attended the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi as chief guest.

This is PM Modi's first visit to Egypt as Prime Minister and the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister after 26 years.

Upon arriving in Cairo, PM Modi was greeted with a ceremonial welcome and guard of honour and in a special honour was received by his Egyptian counterpart Mostafa Madbouly at the airport.

On June 25, PM Modi will visit Al-Hakim Mosque. The prime minister will spend nearly half an hour at the Al-Hakim Mosque-- a historic and prominent mosque in Cairo named after Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah (985-1021), the 16th Fatimid caliph.

During his Egypt tour, PM Modi will also visit the Heliopolis War Grave cemetery to pay tribute to the Indian soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice fighting for Egypt during the First World War.