New Delhi, July 13 - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday underlined India's commitment to strengthening the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) and its desire to build stronger ties with Paris.

The highlight of Manmohan Singh's trip will be his meeting Wednesday with his Pakistani counterpart Yousaf Raza Gilani on the sidelines of the 15th NAM summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

The meeting, which will be preceded by talks between foreign secretaries of the two countries, will be watched closely as it could set the stage for the resumption of composite dialogue between the two neighbours.

Manmohan Singh will be the chief guest at the National Day celebrations in France Tuesday.

'The invitation extended to me to participate as the chief guest at the National Day celebrations of France is an honour for the people of India,' he said in a statement before departing for Egypt and France.

Alluding to 'a close and wide-ranging strategic partnership' between India and France, Manmohan Singh said: 'We would like to build upon our partnership in the areas of trade and investment, high technology, space, nuclear energy, defence, education, culture, tourism and scientific research and development.'

The prime minister will depart from Paris for Sharm el-Sheikh Tuesday evening to attend the NAM summit.