On the occasion of the India by the Nile Festival, Indian Ambassador to Egypt Navdeep Suri hosted on Wednesday a reception during which guests were treated to live music and singing from the Bollywood Love Story musical, which will run for four days in Cairo (3-6 April).

"The festival is about building relationships that will endure long after the [event] is over, long after the people have gone back," Ambassador Suri explained during the reception.

The festival also seeks to encourage a lasting bond between India and Egypt. During the event, Egypt’s Minister for Tourism Hisham Zaazou voiced hopes of Egypt welcoming up to one million tourists from India within the next three years, as a result of the growing partnership between the two nations.

Clarifying what festival attendees may expect to find in India by the Nile, director Sanjoy Roy said the next 20 days were going to be "full of fun and hard work, lots of food and great entertainment."

Showcasing the diversity of Indian culture through dance, music, literature, film and visual arts, the festival runs between 1 and 20 April in Cairo, with selected activities to take place in Alexandria and Hurghada. Read more about this year festival's edition here and check India by the Nile full programme here.