India's megastar Amitabh Bachchan inaugurated the third edition of "The India by the Nile" festival which runs until April 17.
"This is a very important festival as it encourages cooperation and friendship that has existed between the Egyptian and Indian countries and cultures," said Bachchan during a reception hosted by the Indian Ambassador to Egypt Navdeep Suri at the India House to mark the formal opening of the annual cultural festival.
Tourism Minster Khaled Rami hailed the presence of the iconic star at the event, saying this will help promote tourism in the country.
He expected such events to lure more tourists from India, saying Egypt attracted 150,000 Indian tourists in 2010.
"Last year, 60,000 Indian tourists visited Egypt," the minister said.
Egypt is seeking to lure 20 million tourists by 2020, the minister said.
Bachchan said he is so happy to be in Egypt for the fourth time.
"It is my fourth visit to this wonderful country. Every time I come to Egypt I feel as though I come home. Every time I have been here it has been such an experience. And that is the feeling I am going to carry home when I go back to India," he said.