New Delhi, Sept. 2: India and Egypt today committed to deepening cooperation against terrorism, a common threat both nations face, but officials said Cairo remained unwilling to break from the position of the broader Islamic world critical of Delhi over Kashmir.

The two countries have in recent months quietly stepped up intelligence cooperation, with unannounced visits to India by Egypt's national security adviser for meetings with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval. But Friday's declaration of intent came from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi after talks between them.

"President and I are of one view that growing radicalisation, increasing violence and spread of terror pose a real threat not just to our two countries," Modi said, pausing, "but, also to nations and communities across regions."

Modi and Sisi agreed to expand defence trade, training and capacity building, and enhance information and operational exchanges to combat terrorism. The two countries also decided to step up efforts at developing de-radicalisation programmes to shield their youth from the propaganda of terror groups like the IS.

Egypt is battling the IS in its Sinai Peninsula, where the group is believed to have shot down a Russian plane last year, pulling Moscow deeper into the war in Syria. India has battled terrorism from Pakistan for years, and Modi and the Indian delegation tried today to convince Sisi that terrorism lay at the heart of the Kashmir dispute between Delhi and Islamabad.

Egypt is a part of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) that has traditionally backed Pakistan on allegations of human rights violations in Kashmir. Pakistan has accused India of "state terrorism" in Kashmir over the recent clashes, while India has blamed Pakistan for fomenting protests in Kashmir after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani.

Pakistan has also lobbied the 57-member OIC over the recent Kashmir violence, which is likely to figure in Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's address to the UN General Assembly in New York later this month. Ahead of Sisi's visit, Indian officials said several OIC countries had in private distanced themselves from the group's postures, and that India would try and convince Egypt to publicly articulate its dissonance with the OIC view.

But in talks today, Sisi did not appear willing to break with the OIC consensus, officials said. In his comments after the meeting with Modi too, Sisi was quiet about Kashmir.