India celebrated its 78th Independence Day on August 15, marking the occasion with a renewed commitment to strengthening economic and strategic ties with Egypt.
Indian Ambassador to Egypt Ajit Gupte, speaking at a ceremony marking the occasion, described the current relationship between the two countries as a “golden era” of bilateral relations.
“As we strengthen our ties today, we are also witnessing a substantial increase in our economic engagement with Egypt, with over 55 Indian companies having invested over $3.75bn in diverse areas and contributing to Egypt’s exports, as well as employment generation,” Gupte said.
“It is heartening to see Indian companies focusing even on niche areas like green hydrogen, which could emerge as a new source of clean energy. There is growing engagement between our companies in agribusiness as well, which could help secure food security for our people.”
Gupte also highlighted the historic relationship between India and Egypt, two of the world’s oldest civilizations, which have enjoyed close contact from ancient times.
“In modern times, Mahatma Gandhi and Saad Zaghloul shared common goals for the independence of their countries. An exceptionally close friendship between President Gamal Abdel Nasser and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru led to a Friendship Treaty between the two countries in 1955, which also played a crucial role in shaping the policy of Non-Alignment, as well as supporting the decolonization in Asian and African regions,” Gupte said.
India-Egypt Golden Era
He added that the relationship between the two countries has strengthened in recent times. “Our time-tested friendship, resting on the edifices of trust and mutual respect, as well as shared perception on regional and global issues, has grown from strength to strength in recent times,” he said.
The ambassador highlighted the visit of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to India in January 2023 as the Chief Guest of India’s 74th Republic Day celebration and the reciprocal “State Visit” by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2023. These visits, Gupte said, have revived the “Golden Era” of bilateral relations between India and Egypt.
“We had the honour to host President Al-Sisi again in September 2023 when he visited India to participate in G20 Leaders’ Summit, following India’s invitation to Egypt as a ‘Guest Country’ during our Presidency of G20,” Gupte said.
He added that during the landmark visit of Prime Minister Modi to Egypt, President Sisi conferred upon him the highest civilian honour of Egypt – ‘Order of the Nile’. The two leaders also signed an agreement elevating India-Egypt bilateral relations to a “Strategic Partnership” during this visit.
Recently, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar attended Egypt’s National Day celebration in New Delhi and highlighted that India and Egypt’s bilateral engagement has been living up to its new nomenclature with the strengthening of ties in all areas, including political, trade and investment, defence and culture, as well as in multilateral platforms.
Gupte also highlighted the growing cooperation between the two countries in defence. “The recent sight of Indian and Egyptian Rafales flying over the Pyramids was indeed a testimony to our mutual trust, goodwill, and strengthening defence cooperation,” Gupte said.
He added that regular bilateral exercises between the two countries’ armed forces have given the bilateral cooperation a strategic depth.
Gupte also noted the growing popularity of Yoga in Egypt.
“I would also like to appreciate the growing popularity of Yoga in Egypt, which was acknowledged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on several occasions, in his speech on the occasion of the 10th International Day of Yoga on 21 June 2024 and his monthly ‘Mann ki Baat’ radio programme on 30 June 2024,” he said.
“As Bollywood and Indian cuisine continue to bring our hearts closer, I am sure that Yoga will synchronize our souls and spirits and bring harmony to our countries and regions. Indian sport of ‘Kabaddi’ has also gained popularity in Egypt and I am pleased to share with you that ‘The India-Egypt Friendship Kabaddi Tournament’ organized by the Embassy in association with the Egypt Kabaddi Federation witnessed enthusiastic participation by Egyptian players,” he said.
Gupte stated that India is confident that the Egypt-India multilateral engagements in G20, BRICS and ‘Voice of Global South’ will facilitate deeper cooperation between India and Egypt to safeguard the interests of the Global South, as well as to secure lasting peace and stability.
“As a young and vibrant democracy, India is today an inspiring symbol of unity in diversity. With a GDP of almost $4trn, we are also among the world’s fastest-growing economies. At the same time, we realize the importance of inclusive and sustainable growth and shared prosperity through concerted efforts,” Gupte explained.
He believes that the developmental challenges ahead of India and Egypt are similar in many aspects. “While our young and growing population is our greatest strength, they also require us to ensure for them access to healthcare, education and sustainable employment opportunities,” he said.
“I would like to take this opportunity to underscore the unwavering commitment of the Government of India to taking the India-Egypt Strategic Partnership forward,” Gupte said. “I also take this opportunity to convey my best wishes and gratitude to the Government and the friendly people of Egypt for their continued support, cooperation and affection. I also thank and commend the Indian community in Egypt for contributing towards strengthening of ties between India and Egypt.”
