The year is 1960. It is the Cold War era. Two high ranking men are shaking hands. The warmth of their greeting spills over from the black-and-white photograph adorning the halls of the Maulana Azad Center for Indian Culture.
Walking through the photo exhibition titled “India-Egypt: A Photographic Retrospective, one bears witness to a deep, personal friendship between former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser and his Indian counterpart Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
Egypt and India formed a close alliance during the Cold War era, which materialized in the establishment of the Non-Aligned Movement along with other countries uninterested in supporting or opposing either of the two superpowers: the Soviet Union and the United States.
Indian ambassador Shri A. Gopinathan told Daily News Egypt that “personal chemistry and warmth existed between the leaders of our countries over the years.
The personal relations between Nasser and Nehru drove the friendship between both nations.
“The photographs depicted in the retrospective are a testimony to the warm and friendly relations that have existed between our countries even after the passing away of the architects of the India-Egypt friendship, said Gopinathan.
Many of the photographs show members of the diplomatic circles of both countries visiting each other in their respective countries. In photographs of his first visit to Egypt, Nehru is accompanied by his daughter, Indira Gandhi, who, in later pictures, visits Nasser as Prime Minister of India.
A silent story unfolds as Nasser is portrayed visiting the tombs of Nehru and Gandhi in India, and meeting with Indira Gandhi in New Delhi.
Gopinathan was impressed by pictures of President Mubarak and Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi along with their wives; of President Sadat and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi; and of President Mubarak and Prime Minister I.K. Gujral.
“These convey a message of permanence and continuity, and signal that the relations between India and Egypt have remained steady with the change of leadership in either country.
“The principal thought that went through one’s mind while looking back at these photographs was that in spite of the passage of time, the friendship between the two countries has not diminished, but has strengthened in every way.
Today, India and Egypt maintain bilateral relations on many levels – political, economic and cultural.
Bilateral trade has expanded significantly, Gopinathan informed Daily News Egypt, touching a value of almost $3 billion per year.
“Indian investments in Egypt, currently valued at $750 million, are poised to exceed $2 billion within the next two years, he added.
Egypt continues to have numerous visits from troupes of performing artists. Further, personal contact amongst the two countries has also increased, with around 82,000 Indian tourists visiting Egypt in 2007, an increase of 35 percent over the figure of 61,000 in 2006.
The two countries also share the same challenges of development. These include “high population growth and increasing unemployment, pollution and environmental degradation, climate change and food and energy security, said Gopinathan.
The context which first brought them together still binds India and Egypt.
“Both countries believe that the [Non-Aligned] Movement remains relevant and valid even after the end of the Cold War; only the nature and challenges faced by the developing countries might have undergone some changes.
“Today, the principal challenges before most developing countries are those of socio-economic development and raising the standards of living of the vast majority of the population, said the ambassador. Hence, there continues to be a need to alleviate poverty despite heavy constraints on resources.
The two countries have been cooperating in the Non-Aligned Movement and at the United Nations and other multilateral forums, such as the Group of 77, the World Bank, the World Trade Organization and the International Monetary Fund, the ambassador said.
The photographs of recent years document these interactions between the two countries in education and technology as well as cultural relations.
As further testimony to continuing relations, confirmed the ambassador, negotiations are underway whereby diplomatic passport holders of each country will be given certain visa exemptions while visiting the other country.
“India-Egypt: A Photographic Retrospective exhibition is at the Maulana Azad Center For Indian Culture: 23 Talaat Harb St., Downtown, Cairo. Tel: (02) 2393 3396. Open daily from 10 am-10 pm. Exhibition ends on Sept. 11. For more information, please visit www.indembcairo.com.
