PM Modi visits Heliopolis War Cemetery in Cairo, pays respect to Indian soldiers

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday visited Heliopolis Commonwealth War Cemetery here and offered tributes to Indian soldiers who bravely fought and laid down ir lives in Egypt and Palestine during First World War.

Modi offered floral tributes and signed visitor's book at Cemetery that comprises Heliopolis (Port Tewfik) Memorial and Heliopolis (en) Memorial.

Heliopolis (Port Tewfik) Memorial commemorates nearly 4,000 Indian soldiers who died fighting in Egypt and Palestine in First World War.

Heliopolis (en) Memorial pays tribute to more than 600 men of Commonwealth forces who sacrificed ir lives for en during First World War.

Cemetery is maintained by Commonwealth War Graves Commission. It also houses 1,700 Commonwealth burials of Second World War as well as several war graves of or nationalities, according to Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.

Located at south end of Suez Canal, original Port Tewfik memorial was unveiled in 1926.

Designed by Sir John Burnet, original memorial sustained dams during 1967-1973 Israeli-Egyptian conflict and was eventually demolished, according to Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.

In October 1980, a new memorial with panels bearing names of martyred Indian soldiers was unveiled by Indian Ambassor to Egypt in Heliopolis Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery.

Last October, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar paid tributes at Heliopolis Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery.

Prime Minister is on a two-day state visit to Egypt at invitation of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. This is first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 26 years.