Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry on Friday discussed bilateral relations between Egypt and India with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This came on the sidelines of Shoukry’s visit to India, heading Egypt’s delegation for the seventh round of the Egyptian-Indian Joint Ministerial Committee.

During the meeting, Shoukry delivered to Modi a letter from President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi. In the letter, Al-Sisi expressed Egypt’s keenness on boosting bilateral relations between the two countries and his hope for continuing coordination regarding issues of mutual interest, according to a statement from Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abou Zaid.

Shoukry and Modi reviewed the latest updates in the relations between the two countries in the past three years, in a planned upcoming visit of the Indian prime minister to Egypt, which has no set date.

Abou Zaid said that Modi expressed hope for further cooperation with Egypt in the investment and technology fields, as well as countering terrorism. They also agreed to coordinate on international forums, and support peace and stability in the Middle East.

Moreover, at the beginning of his visit to the Indian capital New Delhi, Shoukry participated in the Indian-Egyptian Business Forum. The forum is organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in cooperation with the Egyptian Commercial Office in New Delhi.

The forum was attended by a large number of businesspersons and heads of corporation investing in Egypt or who wish to. During the forum, Shoukry “surveyed various aspects of the economic reform programme and investment opportunities in Egypt,” according to Abou Zaid.

He also reviewed Egypt’s major economic successes in the natural gas sector, noting the beginning of production at the Zohr field, which Egypt hopes will contribute to achieving natural gas self-sufficiency by the end of 2018, in addition to investment opportunities awarded by national mega projects, such as the New Administrative Capital and the Suez Canal development axis.