Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to represent India at Suez Canal inaugration in Egypt

Nitin Gadaki, the Road Transport Highways and Shipping Minister is going to represent India at inauguration of new Suez Canal in Egypt on 6 August.

Egypt president Abdel Fattah Al Sisi has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to participate in the inauguration of the new Suez Canal, an official statement from Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said today.

"In view of India's traditionally warm and friendly ties with Egypt and to reenforce New Delhi's continued high-level engagement and political commitment to Egypt under Al Sisi government, the Prime Minister has nominated Gadkari to represent India at the event," the statement said.

Egypt late last month began the trial runs of of new Suez canal ahead of the formal inauguration on August 6.Dubbed as Suez Canal Axis, the 72-kilometre project is aimed at speeding up traffic along the existing waterway by reducing the waiting period of vessels, as well as boosting revenues for Egypt.

The project will run part of the way along the existing canal that connects Red Sea to the Mediterranean.

-PTI