PM in Egypt: What is the Heliopolis Memorial for Indian soldiers who fought in World War 1?

Source: The post is based on the article “PM in Egypt: What is the Heliopolis Memorial for Indian soldiers who fought in World War 1?” published in Indian Express on 23rd June 2023

What is the News? 

The Indian Prime Minister will pay his respects at the Heliopolis (Port Tewfik) Memorial in the Heliopolis War Cemetery in Cairo, Egypt. 

What is Heliopolis Memorial?

The Heliopolis (Port Tewfik) Memorial is part of the larger Heliopolis Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery. 

This memorial commemorates the memory of 3,727 Indian soldiers who died fighting in various campaigns in Egypt and Palestine in the First World War. 

What was the role of the Indian Army in West Asia in the First World War?

Indian troops of the expeditionary forces sent from India played a major role in West Asia in the First World War. 

The Indian troops played a key role in securing the Suez Canal in Egypt and in Palestine, where Indian cavalry participated in the Battle of Haifa, commemorated in New Delhi in a war memorial. 

Indian soldiers also played a key role in Mesopotamia in the First World War.