India and Egypt decide to upgrade their relations to strategic partnership During the meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has an important step for India’s relations This is long overdue, given their historical links with the West Asia-North Africa (WANA) region. In 1955 both the countries signed a friendship treaty India’s support to EgyptIncluding the Suez Canal Crisis in 1956, eventually led to the Non-Aligned Movement in 1961, of which both were founding members. He was also instrumental in the G-77 grouping and the “South-South Cooperation” initiative. during the cold war, India and Egypt unite On his desire not to become a “camp follower” of the US or the Soviet Union. More recently, his position on the Ukraine war has been extremely similar – refusing to criticize Russia’s actions, but also not condemn them, and calling for a diplomatic solution. Last year, India’s decision to supply wheat to Egypt, one of the world’s biggest importers, was affected by blockades on exports from Russia and Ukraine, prior to the launch of the Black Sea Grain Initiative last year. New Delhi gained a lot of goodwill in Cairo. The two sides are also closely cooperating in green energy, pharmaceuticals and defence, with MoUs in agriculture, archeology and antiquities, and competition law. Mr Modi’s visit to the Al-Hakim Mosque and meeting with the Grand Mufti of Egypt appeared to be an attempt to clear up misunderstandings about his government’s policies towards the Muslim world.
President al-Sisi, who was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day this year, presented Mr. Modi with Egypt’s highest state honour, “The Order of the Nile”; It is awarded to world leaders and people who “provide invaluable services to Egypt or humanity”. The two leaders will meet again as Egypt is a “special invitee” to the G20 summit in Delhi in September. The leaders appear to have made considerable progress in focusing on multilateral issues, India’s close ties in Egypt’s neighborhood (particularly Israel and Saudi Arabia), food and energy security constraints, and building greater cooperation with the global south, including the African Union. Have spent time In March, Egypt joined the “New Development Bank” set up by the BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa), and is keen to join the group which will seek new membership at its summit in Cape Town this August. Will discuss. Egypt will seek India’s support. Driven by historical ties and influenced by the current geopolitical turmoil, it is clear that India and Egypt are now essaying a close relationship, one that eyes both futuristic economies and autonomous foreign policies.