PM Modi returns to India after landmark state visits to US and Egypt

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to India in the early hours of Monday after his six-day visit to the US and Egypt during which several landmark agreements were signed.

Modi was received at the Delhi airport by Union Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakashi Lekhi and BJP chief J P Nadda. BJP leaders and party MPs from Delhi such as Harsh Vardhan, Hans Raj Hans and Gautam Gambhir were also present.

The prime minister had embarked on his visit to the US on June 20 and in New York, he led a historic event at the UN Headquarters to commemorate the 9th International Day of Yoga on June 21.

Later, in Washington DC, he was given a red-carpet welcome at the White House by President Joe Biden. The two leaders held a historic summit on Thursday, followed by Modi's address to Congress and a State Dinner hosted at the White House by the Bidens in his honour.

The visit was marked by several major deals to boost cooperation in key areas such as defence, space and trade.

Modi arrived in Cairo on Saturday after concluding his high-profile state visit to the US and was received at the airport by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

He concluded his first-ever visit to Egypt Sunday evening. During the visit, he held talks with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and was conferred the Arab country's highest honour 'Order of the Nile'.

Modi and Sisi discussed ways to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries with a focus on improving trade and investments, energy ties and people-to-people ties. The two countries elevated their relationship to a "Strategic Partnership".

President El-Sisi conferred Modi the 'Order of the Nile' award - Egypt's highest state honour. This is the 13th highest state honour conferred upon Prime Minister Modi.