India and Egypt: civilisational affinities to vibrant

economic cooperation in 21
st
century
--Mohammed Khalid
Mainly lying in North Africa, Arab Republic of Egypt forms a land bridge in outh!est
Asia" It is a transcontinental country, and is considered to be a ma#or po!er in North
Africa" $overing an area of about %,%&,&'% s( )m", Egypt is !orld*s '+th,largest country"
It has 2,--. )m land borders !hich include 11 )m !ith /a0a trip, 2-- )m !ith Israel,
1,11. )m !ith 1ibya and 1,2&' )m !ith udan" Mediterranean provides it a coastline
e2tending for about 1,3.3 )m and its Red ea coast runs from the /ulf of ue0 to the
udanese border for about +33 )m" 4he country is a vast desert plateau interrupted by
Nile valley and its delta" 5ue to the aridity of climate, population in the country is
concentrated along the narro! Nile 6alley and delta, so that about %%7 of the population
uses only about .".7 of the total land area"
1

Egypt8s strategic position provides it e2tensive political influence in the Middle East and
Africa" Its geopolitical importance stems from the fact that it controls inai 9eninsula
,,the only land bridge :the Isthmus of ue0; bet!een Africa and remainder of Eastern
<emisphere,, and control of the ue0 $anal !hich provides the shortest sea lin) bet!een
the Mediterranean and the Indian =cean" $ountry8s big si0e located at the center of
African, Arab, and the Islamic !orld establishes its ma#or role in Middle Eastern
geopolitics" Egypt plays a ma#or role in Africa, is a leading po!er in the 4hird >orld and
has been a ma#or advocate of Non,alignment" 5ue to its geopolitical importance ?nited
tates as !ell as oviet ?nion had close relations !ith Egypt during the $old >ar and
e2tended it political support and provided economic and military aid"
2
4he country has
been able to provide a common platform to Arabs in their conflict !ith Israel and a
bul!ar) against Islamic political activism to garner political support and economic aid
from both the >est and the Arab !orld" Egypt has a uni(ue Afro,Arab,Islamic character"
A long pre,Islamic heritage gives it a distinct identity !hich has never
@9rofessor of 9olitical cience, 5epartment of Evening tudies, 9an#ab ?niversity, $handigarh"
2.
allo!ed it to merge its national identity entirely into Arabism, yet the $ountry is
ine2tricably a part of the Arab !orld"
'
According to the 233- censusA Egypt had a
population of &-". million !hich has estimated to have increased to about &% million in
2313" =ver!helmingly of Egyptian stoc), about %3 percent of the population is Muslim
:mostly unni; !ith a literacy rate of &2 percent" =nly ' percent of its land area is arable
and about 2 percent is permanently under crops gro!ing cotton, rice, corn, !heat, beans,
fruits and vegetables"
B
$hief Industries include te2tile, food processing, tourism,
chemicals, hydrocarbons, cement etc" 4he country is estimated to have '"& billion barrels
of crude oil reserves and its other natural resources include natural gas, iron ore,
phosphate, limestone, gypsum" Asbestos, lead and 0inc etc"
.

Most economic activity in Egypt ta)es place in the fertile Nile 6alley" Economy !as
highly centrali0ed during the presidency of /amal Abdel Nasser :1%.-,&3; but later
opened up considerably under 9resident An!ar adat :1%&3,+1; and Muhammad <osni
Mubara)" 5uring 233B to 233+ Egypt aggressively pursued economic reforms to attract
foreign investment !hich facilitated /59 gro!th from B"1 percent in 233B to &"2 percent
in 233+" Recent global financial crisis slo!ed its /59 gro!th to B"& percent in 233%,
mainly affecting manufacturing, tourism, and ue0 $anal revenues" 5espite high levels of
economic gro!th over the past fe! years, living conditions of an average Egyptian
remain poor" 4he /59 of Egypt !as estimated at ?C2'1 billion in 2311 in !hich
agriculture contributed 1B"B percent and employed '2 percent of its labour force" Industry
comprises te2tiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons,
construction, cement, metals, and light manufactures" Industrial sector contributed '%".
percent to the /59 and employed 1& percent of the labour force" ervices sector
contributed B."+ percent and employed .1 percent of the !or)ing population according to
2311 estimates" 9er capita income of the country !as estimated at C.,B33 in 233+ !hile
about 23 percent of the population lives belo! poverty line"
-

2-
Egypt is highly dependent on imports, and has, as a result, maintained trade
deficit" Det!een 1%&B and 1%+B the deficit gre! considerably as a result of its open,door
policy that encouraged imports" Its imports !ere ?CB"+- billion in 1%+3 !hich dropped
for a brief period bet!een 1%+B and 1%+-, due to the shortage of foreign e2change
coupled !ith problem of debt repayments" ince 1%+-, imports have been on the rise
again, increasing from ?C11"&B billion in 1%%. to ?C1."+ billion in 1%%%" Import
volumes reached ?CB'"%+ billion in 233%" Egypt imports a !ide variety of goods,
especially capital goods such as machinery and e(uipment, necessary for its economic
and infrastructure development" Eood has traditionally accounted for 23 percent of
Egypt*s imports, but chemicals, !ood products, and fuels are also imported" Defore 1%&',
one,third of Egypt*s imports came from the former Eastern European bloc or $omecon
countries, due to Egypt*s close relations !ith the oviet ?nion" After the signing of the
$amp 5avid Accords in1%&+, Egypt*s ne! pro,>estern orientation !as coupled !ith a
shift in trading partners" =f its CB&".% billion imports in 233%, %"%2 percent came from
?, %"-' percent, from $hina, -"%+ percent from /ermany, -"++ percent from Italy, B"%
percent audi Arabia and B"%B percent from 4ur)ey"
&

4he value of e2ports has been rising since 1%%&, reaching ?CB"- billion in 1%%%"
According to 2313 estimates, of its C2% billion e2ports, ?nited tates shared &"1 percentA
Italy shared &"2- percent, India -"2 percent, pain -"1 percent, yria .". percent, audi
Arabia B"B- percent, /ermany B". percent, Erance B"'% percent, and outh Forea B"2&
percent" Det!een 1%-3 and 1%+3, agricultural products made for &1 percent of Egypt8s
total e2ports !hich dropped significantly in the 1%%3s reaching to 23 percent in 1%%." =n
the other hand, the e2port of fuel, minerals, and metal increased sharply over the same
period, from + percent in 1%-3 to B1 percent in 1%%." Egypt e2ports appro2imately
1..,233 barrels of oil per day" 4he e2port of manufactured goods has also marginally
increased since the 1%%3s, from ?C2"% million in 1%%' to ?C'"B million in 1%%+" 4his
2&
increase has been mainly the result of gro!th in clothing and te2tile production, !hich
accounted for 1B percent of total e2ports in 1%%+"
India-Egypt relations
India8s relations !ith Egypt are centuries old" Evidence of their direct contacts is
fragmentary but both certainly had indirect relations through Mesopotamia" 4his can be
established by stri)ing similarities bet!een the t!o ancient civili0ations" 4here is
plethora of evidence !hich suggests that India and Egypt had cultural connections in
ancient times" 9resence of Indian scholars in Ale2andria during early centuries A5 has
been documented by various historians" imilarities bet!een place names in Dengal and
Egypt, !orshipping of co!, sun, sna)e, and river in ancient Egypt, resemblance in
Egyptian mummies !ith terracotta mummies found at Mohen#o,5aro are some of
lin)ages both great civili0ations had in ancient times" Apart from culture, there !ere
lively commercial relations bet!een southern parts of India and Egyptian ports"
+
Doth
lost trac) of mutual relations for a long time after Islam came to Egypt and later !hen
both !ere sub#ected to a long spell of colonial rule"
In the recent times, India8s relations !ith Egypt go bac) to the contacts bet!een
aad Gaghloul :a political activist and later 9rime Minister of Egypt; and Mahatma
/andhi as both !ere struggling for independence of their respective countries through
peaceful means" As /andhi started non,cooperation movement in India against the
Dritish, there !as in Egypt the 1%1% revolution under Gaghloul8s leadership" Relationship
bet!een the t!o countries both in economic and political spheres !as established after
India8s independence in 1%B&" 5uring the Nehru,Nasser era both signed a Eriendship
4reaty in 1%.." /amal Abdul Nasser and Ha!aharlal Nehru became the founders of the
Non,alignment" 5uring the 1%.- >ar, Nehru supported Egypt to the point of threatening
to !ithdra! from the Dritish $ommon!ealth"
%
In 1%-&, follo!ing the Arab,Israeli !arA
India supported Egypt and the Arabs" India also supported the sovereignty of Egyptian
borders
2+
against udan" It is due to continuous !armth in relations that the year 2332 !as named
as Iear of India in Egypt by the Egyptian ministry of foreign trade" 5ialogue !ith Egypt
has also been maintained in a structured form through meetings of a Hoint $ommission
!hich !as held in 1%+., 1%++, 1%%&, 2331 and 233-" =n the occasion of atyagraha
$entenary celebrations held in 5elhi in Hanuary 233&, the National 5emocratic 9arty of
Egypt sent its representative Mohammed Abdullah to participate in the event" Ha!aharlal
Nehru A!ard for International ?nderstanding for the year 1%%. !as conferred on
9resident <osni Mubara)"
4o cement bilateral relations that had been defined by the early leadership of both the
countries, many bilateral visits too) place from both the sides, resulting in signing of
many agreements" Erom Egypt, 9resident Mubara) visited India in 1%+2, and again in
1%+' to attend the NAM ummit" In Hanuary 233', Eathi orour, pea)er of Egyptian
9eople8s Assembly led a delegation of parliamentarians, to the /olden Hubilee
celebrations of the Indian 9arliament" Egypt8s Minister of tate for Military 9roduction,
ayed Meshaal visited India in Hanuary, and Minister of $ommunications J I4, 4are)
Famal in November, and Eoreign Minister Ahmed Aboul,/heit and Minister of tate for
Administrative 5evelopment, Ahmed 5ar!ish paid a visit to Ne! 5elhi in 5ecember
233-" In 233& Minister of ocial olidarity Ali Al,Moselhi came to India in Hanuary,
Minister of 4ourism Mohamed Goheir /arranah in April and Minister of <ealth J
9opulation <atem El /abali paid a private visit in =ctober 233&" Minister for
International $ooperation, Eay0a Aboul Naga represented 9resident Mubara) at the
India,Africa Eorum ummit held from B,% April 233+ at Ne! 5elhi" Minister for 4rade
J Industry Rachid Mohamed Rachid and Minister for Agriculture J 1and Reclamation
Amin Aba0a visited India in April 233+" 9resident <osny Mubara) paid a tate visit to
Ne! 5elhi 1-,1% November, 233+" In Hanuary 233%, Egypt8s Minister of tate for
Environment Affairs Magid /eorge participated in ustainable 5evelopment ummit
233% in Ne! 5elhi" In the same month a five,member
2%
delegation from the <igh Election $ommission of Egypt visited India for discussions
!ith the Election $ommission of India on electoral systems and practices"
imilarly, many Indian leaders have visited Egypt from time to time to
strengthen bilateral relations" 9andit Ha!aharlal Nehru visited Egypt in 1%.- and 1%.&"
9rime Minister 1al Dahadur hastri attended the Non,aligned ummit held at $airo on
&th =ctober, 1%-B" 9rime Minister Ra#iv /andhi visited Egypt in 1%+.A 9rime Minister 9"
6" Narasimha Rao in 1%%.A and, 9rime Minister I" F" /u#ral in 1%%&" 4he visit of
successive Indian 9rime Ministers sho!s the importance of Egypt in India8s foreign
policy" A good!ill delegation of parliamentarians led by 9ramod Maha#an, then Minister
of 9arliamentary Affairs, $ommunications and Information 4echnology visited $airo in
Hanuary 233'" Ash!ini Fumar, Minister of tate of Industry visited Egypt for the >orld
Economic Eorum meeting on the Middle,East in May 233-" Minister of tate for <uman
Resource 5evelopment, 5" 9urandares!ari visited Egypt in November 233- for the
?NE$= meeting on KEducation for AllL" Minister of 9etroleum J Natural /as, Murli
5eora and Minister of ocial Hustice and Empo!erment, Meira Fumar visited $airo in
April and Hune 233& respectively" India8s <ome Minister hivra# 9atil visited Egypt on .,
% Hanuary 233+ signed the Agreements on the 4ransfer of entenced 9ersons and the
Agreement on Mutual 1egal Assistance in $riminal Matters" Minister of 4e2tiles,
han)arsinh 6aghela led a delegation to Egypt on '3 Hanuary,1 Eebruary 233+" Minister
of tate for $ommerce and 9o!er, Hairam Ramesh visited Egypt in May 233+ to attend
the >orld Economic Eorum meeting at harm el hei)h" Minister of tate for E2ternal
Affairs Anand harma led an observer delegation to the 11th African ?nion :A?;
ummit held at harm El,hei)h in Hune 233+" E2ternal Affairs Minister :EAM; 9ranab
Mu)her#ee visited Egypt on 1,' Huly 233+"
13
E2ternal Affairs Minister M Frishna paid a
three day visit in March 2312 to forge relations !ith the ne! regime in Egypt and discuss
the yrian crisis !ith the Arab 1eague in $airo"
'3
Treaties and MoUs
India and Egypt have entered into various bilateral agreements since their independence"
4hey signed trade agreement as early as in 1%.'" 1ater, they signed Naval 4ransportation
Agreement in 1%--A $ivil Aviation and Air 4ransportation Agreement in 1%-+A Avoidance
of 5ual 4a2ation Agreement in 1%-%A 4rade Agreement in 1%&& :alternative of trade
agreement signed in 1%.';A Agreement on $ooperation in cience and 4echnology in
=ctober 1%%.A $ustoms $ooperation Agreement, 1%%&A Agreement on Encouraging and
9rotecting Mutual Investments in 1%%&" Agreement !as signed bet!een Egypt*s Academy
of cientific Research and 4echnology and India*s $ouncil of Research and Industrial
5evelopment in 1%%+" Doth instituted a mechanism of Eoreign =ffice $onsultations
:E=$; in 1%%%" ince then, seven sessions of E=$ have been held alternately in Ne!
5elhi and $airo"
India and Egypt have signed Memorandum of ?nderstanding :Mo?; in different areas of
mutual interest" A Mo? !as signed for cooperation in tourism in 1%%&, and Indian
$ouncil of Agricultural Research :I$AR; and the Agricultural Research $enter of the
Ministry of Agriculture J 1and Reclamation of Egypt signed a Mo? for cooperation in
the field of agricultural research in March 1%%+" 4hey also signed Mo? for supporting
development of small industries, Mo? for cooperation in the field of research and
agricultural guidance, and Mo? in promoting and developing e2ports in 1%%+" A Mo?
!as signed bet!een National toc) E2change of India and $airo and Ale2andria toc)
E2change in 2331, bet!een Eederation of Industries of India and ocial 5evelopment
Eund in 2332, and bet!een Egypt*s /eneral =rgani0ation for International E2hibitions
and Eairs and India 4rade 9romotion =rgani0ation in 233'"
In November 233-, a Mo? on cooperation in $ommunication and Information
4echnology !as signed bet!een the t!o governments" 5uring the .th session of the Hoint
$ommission, held on 1- 5ecember 233-, :co,chaired by the Minister
'1
of E2ternal Affairs of India and the Egyptian Eoreign Minister; five agreements !ere
signed viz., the 9artnership AgreementA bilateral air servicesA agricultural cooperationA
cultural e2changesA and on cooperation in the field of science and technology" 4elephone
Regulatory Authority of India :4RAI; signed a Mo? !ith the Egyptian
4elecommunications Regulatory Authority in March 233& for cooperation in the telecom
sector" 4elecommunications $onsultants India 1td :4$I1; and the Egyptian Ministry of
$ommunication J I4 signed a Mo? in 5ecember 233& concerning the implementation of
the 9an,African e,net!or) pro#ect" E2tradition 4reatyA Agreement on abolition of visa
re(uirement for holders of diplomatic, special and officialMservice passportsA cooperation
in the field of <ealth J MedicineA and E2ploration and ?se of =uter pace for 9eaceful
9urposes are other important areas of mutual cooperation bet!een India and Egypt" At
private level, the Indian Association of 4our =perators :IA4=; and Associated $hambers
of $ommerce and Industry :A=$<AM; signed a Mo? !ith the Egyptian 4ourism
Eederation :E4E;, Egyptian 4ravel Agents Association :E4AA; and Egyptian <otel
Association in 2331"
11
5uring the Indian foreign affairs minister M Frishna8s visit in
March 2312, many agreements relating to economic and technological cooperation have
been signed bet!een the t!o countries"
Trade and investment
Egypt has been one of India8s important trading partners in Africa since 1%&+"
$urrently, annual bilateral trade bet!een them is estimated to be about C'"2 billion"
Indian e2ports to Egypt include iron and steel, #uteMcotton yarn, plastic and rubber,
chemicals, engineering good, sesame, coffee, herbs, tobacco, lentils etc" Imports to India
from Egypt include ra! cotton, ra! and manufactured fertili0ers, oil and oil products,
organic and non,organic chemicals, leather and iron products" India is a ma#or trade
partner of Egypt after the ?, Italy and audi Arabia" In terms of value, India8s trade
turnover !ith Egypt has gro!n nearly nine,fold bet!een 2333 and 233&"
12
4rade figures
bet!een the t!o countries since 233B,3. are as under"
'2
4able,1
India,Egypt 4rade since 233B,3.
Financial Total Exports Total Imports Total
Year to Egypt from Egypt Trade
Huly,Hune ? C Million ? C Million ? C Million
233B , 3. 2B-"B3 B'+"'2 -+B"&2
233. , 3- '-'".& %'3"3B 1,2%'"-1
233- , 3& B2&"B' 1,.'B"2+ 1,%-1"&1
233& , 3+ 1,23%"22 2,1&1"'+ ','+3"-3
233+ , 3% 1"2 billion 1"& billion 2"% billion
Huly233%,May2313 1"' billion 1"'% billion 2"& billion
ource: $A9MA of EgyptA !!!"mea"gov"inMmea2psiteMforeignrelationMegypt"pdf
4o boost bilateral trade, India had organi0ed Indian e2hibitions in $airo in April
1%%+ and eptember 2333" Many Indian companies regularly participate in the annual
$airo International 4rade Eairs" 4he Engineering E2port 9romotion $ouncil :EE9$; of
India participated in the MA$4E$< Eair :9remier International E2hibition for Machine
4ools, Industrial 4ools, >elding and $utting E(uipment; in $airo in November 233-"
4he ynthetic and Rayon 4e2tile E2port 9romotion $ouncil :R4E9$; organised an
e2hibition in $airo in Eebruary 233&" $onfederation of Indian Industries :$II; and the
Indian Embassy organi0ed the NMade in India ho!8 in $airo in November 233& in
!hich 11. Indian companies participated" ?nder the aegis of India 4rade 9romotion
=rganisation :I49=;, B3 Indian companies participated in the $airo International Eair in
March 233+" Indian companies participated in the E/I4EO Eair :a trade sho! in Egypt
for manufacturers of Eibers, Iarns, Eabrics, Apparel, <ome 4e2tiles and Accessories;, in
$airo in November 233+ and =ctober 233%"
Egypt is see)ing Indian investment in diverse areas including infrastructure,
agriculture, agro,processing and oil and gas" Indian business delegations have also been
visiting regularly to Egypt" 4he $<EMEO$I1 :Dasic $hemicals, 9harmaceuticals J
''
$osmetics E2port 9romotion $ouncil of India; delegations visited Egypt in March,
eptember and 5ecember 233-" 5elegations from the $hemicals J Allied 9roducts
E2port 9romotion $ouncil :$A9EOI1; visited Egypt in 5ecember 233-, Eebruary 233&
and NovemberM5ecember 233+" A EI$$I delegation visited Egypt in Hune 233& to
participate in ME4E$< :e2hibition for smallMmedium enterprises;, and a delegation
from the Eederation of Indian E2port =rgani0ations visited in eptember 233&" A
delegation from the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship, /u!ahati visited Egypt in
Eebruary 233+" A 4ea,tasting,cum,Dusiness Meet !as organi0ed by the 4ea Doard of
India in $airo on 23 May 233+" A 23,member $E=s delegation visited $airo and
discussed !ays and means to promote trade !ith the Eederation of Egyptian Industries
:EEI;"
1'

India is the t!elfth largest investor in Egypt !ith investments estimated to be
around C2 billion !ith BB Indian companies !ere operating in areas such as I4,
petroleum, oil and gas" 4he important sectors of investment include information
technology, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, fertili0ers, steel, energy and agricultural
e(uipments" $ompanies li)e 4ata Motors, Asian 9aints, Ranba2y, Asho) 1eyland, NII4,
/as Authority of India 1imited :/AI1;, <5E$ Dan), 5abur India 1td", ?nit 4rust of
India, Firlos)ar Drothers, 4happar /roup and others are ma#or investors in Egypt" In
233B /AI1 bought 1. percent shares of Egypt Nat /as distribution and mar)eting
company" It has planned to ma)e an investment of over C- million in the gas distribution
ventures in Eayoum and $airo"
1B
Indian companies li)e Essar, Reliance and the 4ata
group are further planning huge investments in Egypt"
4o promote investment, India and Egypt entered into a Dilateral Investment 9rotection
Agreement in November 2333" A delegation of the /eneral Authority for Investments and
Eree Gones of Egypt :/AEI; visited India in April 233& and 233+ on an investment
promotion campaign" 5ue to efforts from both sides, collaboration has increased bet!een
'B
entrepreneurs of both the countries" Ale2andria $arbon Dlac) :A$D; set up by /rasim
India 1imited !ith 4REN$= and A4$ as Egyptian partners has been the leading
successful #oint venture" A ne! acrylic fiber plant ,,Ale2andria Eibre $o",, has been set
up by the Aditya Dirla /roup !ith an initial investment of C -3 million" 4here is a #oint
venture bet!een Asian 9aints and $ID $hemical of Egypt" India8s <5E$ Dan) has
facilitated the setting up of E<5$ :Egyptian <ousing 5evelopment $ompany; by
ac(uiring 13 percent e(uity and providing technical as !ell as management assistance"
4he =beroi group has been managing a hotel :<otel =beroi Gahra; and Nile cruises"
1.
4he EE1 of India has set up a #oint venture for manufacturing laminated tooth paste
tubes for 9roctor and /amble in Egypt" 5abur India 1td" has established a 133 percent
o!ned facility for the production of its cosmetics line" India8s Nilete2, manufactures 96$
!ater,storage tan)s at $airo and Auto 4ech Engineering manufactures auto valves"
Firlos)ar Drothers assemble diesel engines and irrigation pump sets, helping the greening
of the Egyptian desert !ith 1,33,333 pump sets along the Nile River" Ranba2y has an
Egyptian subsidiary :Ranba2y Egypt 1imited; for manufacturing pharmaceutical
formulations" In collaboration !ith the Engineering Automotive Manufacturing $ompany
of Egypt, Asho) 1eyland is assembling and selling mini buses in Egypt"
1-

In 233&, 4A4A Motors launched their entire range of vehicles in the Egyptian mar)et and
Egypt has invited India*s 4ata Motors to build a factory to ma)e the Nano car" Marico, an
Indian consumer goods company has ac(uired t!o hair care brands from Egypt8s Ready
/roup" In March 233&, the anmar /roup completed ac(uisition of a unit of 4rust
$hemicals of Egypt" In Hune 233&, outh Asian 9etrochem 1td" entered into a
shareholders agreement !ith Echem of Egypt
to set up a ?C 2.3 plant there" In Hanuary 233+, Mahindra J Mahindra launched their
Ncorpio8 ?6 in the Egyptian mar)et in collaboration !ith the Davarian Auto 4rading
$ompany" In November 233+, Ferne2 Microsystems got a ?C 1&". million contract
from the Egyptian National Rail!ays for moderni0ation of 1'- level crossings" In
5ecember 233+, India8s FE$ International 1td" bagged ?C 1'. million order from the
'.
Egyptian Electricity 4ransmission $ompany for a turn)ey pro#ect for the design, supply
and construction of 1%- )m long .33 )6 double circuit line" =n % March 233+, the
/u#arat tate 9etroleum $orporation 1td :/9$; signed a $oncession Agreement for the
North <ap8y :in the Mediterranean ea; and outh 5iyur :in the >estern 5esert; oil and
gas e2ploration bloc)s" atyam and >I9R= have established global solutions centers in
$airo" tate Dan) of India :DI; has a representative office in $airo"
1&

Indian Institute of Management :IIM; Ahmadabad has collaborated !ith Euture
/eneration Eoundation :E/E; ,,a N/= funded by private sector companies in Egypt,, to
underta)e an Accelerated Management 5evelopment 9rogramme in Egypt, the first of
!hich !as held in May 233. and the second in November 233." In eptember 233-, the
ocial Eund for 5evelopment of Egypt signed a M=? !ith the National Research
5evelopment $orporation for setting up technology demonstration centers in Egypt" A
delegation from the Indian Institute of 9ublic Administration visited Egypt in Hanuary
233% on a study tour"
1+
5uring March 2312 visit to Egypt E2ternal Affairs Minister M
Frishna received an enthusiastic response from the ne! leadership of that country" Apart
from unveiling a portrait of /urudev Rabindranath 4agore in $airo ,,as part of 4agore8s
1.3th birth anniversary celebrations,, many agreements !ere signed bet!een the t!o
countries"

Educational and cultural relations
Educational e2changes are an important aspect of the bilateral relations bet!een India
and Egypt" Doth the countries have a long history of e2change of scholars"
tudents from all over Egypt come to India to study humanities, science and engineering"
Indian students also go to Egypt to study at the Al A0har ?niversity" =ver 1%. Egyptian
nationals have been to India under the I4E$ programme since 1%+-" Many Egyptian
diplomats have also attended courses conducted by the Eoreign ervice Institute of India"
?nder the Africa cholarship cheme of I$$R provides 13 scholarships to pursue under,
graduate, post,graduate and higher courses to Egyptian nationals" ?nder the 9an African
'-
E,Net!or) pro#ect, an e,learning centre !as commissioned at Ale2andria ?niversity in
Huly 233% and a telemedicine centre !as set up at u0anne Mubara) <ospital in $airo
!hich treats cancer affected children"
1%

4o strengthen cultural relations, India set up Maulana A0ad $entre for Indian
$ulture at $airo 1%+2" 4his centre has successfully promoted bilateral cultural
cooperation and initiated cultural e2change programme :$E9; bet!een the t!o countries"
It conducts regular classes in <indi, ?rdu and Ioga, and periodic classes in Indian dance
and cuisine" It has a bi,!ee)ly film screening programme as !ell as a lecture programme
held on the last Monday of every month, the latter in collaboration !ith the Egypt,India
Eriendship Association" Desides organising programmes of Indian music and dance
troupes sponsored by the I$$R, it regularly holds e2hibitions of photographs and
paintings by local artists, both on its $airo premises as !ell as in other venues in
Ale2andria and Ismailia" 4he K5ays of Indian $ultureL !as held in Egypt on 13,1&
November, 233+" ?nder this programme, a !ee),long festival !as held comprising
performances by Indian music and dance troupes, an e2hibition of paintings by younger
Indian artists, and an e2hibition of photographs by Denoy Dehl and screening of Indian
films" 4o mar) the -3th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations bet!een
India and Egypt, an e2hibition titled KIndia,Egypt: A 9hotographic RetrospectiveL !as
organi0ed in $airo in August 233+"
An Egyptian $ultural >ee) !as organi0ed in Ne! 5elhi in =ctober 233&" Egypt !as
represented at the ura#)und $rafts Mela in Eebruary 233% as a partner country" A
documentary entitled Erom 9yramids to 4a# Mahal, thro!ing light on Indian,Egyptian
ties ,, based on the e2perience of '+ blind female musicians !ho travelled to India P !as
released in 2313" 5irected by Indian filmma)er R ingh, the film narrates political life in
both Egypt and India starting from Egyptian and Indian leaders aad Gaghloul and
Mahatma /andhi respectively and running through until 9resident <osni Mubara) and
'&
9rime Minister Manmohan ingh"
23
Maulana A0ad $entre, in collaboration !ith the
Eaculty of 1anguages and 4ranslation of Al A0har ?niversity, celebrated India,Egypt
Relations on - 5ecember 2313" =n the day, a photo,e2hibition on India,Egypt Relations
!as organised and speeches on relations bet!een the t!o countries and the significance
of Maulana A0ad !ere held"
At present, the Indian community in Egypt comprises about &33 families, most of
!hom are concentrated in $airo" A smaller number of families reside in Ale2andria and
9ort aid" 4he Indian community is a cohesive group, consisting largely of professionals
is represented through the Indian $ommunity Association in Egypt :I$AE;" In 233-, an
estimated -1,333 Indian tourists visited Egypt !hich increased to about +2,333 in 233&
and %3,333 in 233%" 4o increase tourism bet!een the t!o countries, Egyptian 4ourism
Authority organi0ed a t!o,day road sho! for tour operators in India so that the number
of Indian tourists should touch 133,333,plus in 2313 and one million by 231." In the first
nine months of 2313, &&,-13 Indians had visited Egypt"
21

Need for closer cooperation
Egypt is undoubtedly an important country of North Africa as !ell as the Arab
!orld" India and Egypt shared common civilisational affinities and historical ties" Doth
en#oyed close political relations and a common vie! point on many
international issues in the Eifties and the i2ties" Egypt and India !ere the main
protagonists of Non,Aligned Movement and !ere founding members of the /,1. ,,a
group of countries !hich see) to e2pand and broaden the base of economic and
technological cooperation"
Egypt has highest population in North Africa !hich implies the largest mar)et, the largest
armed forces, and the largest educated class and so on" Doth Egypt and India are currently
'+
on high,gro!th tra#ectories follo!ing years of reforms and liberalisation, !hich have
opened up ne! avenues for !idening and deepening trade and investment flo!s" Doth the
countries need to translate enormous good!ill and friendliness to!ards each other" 4he
legacy of the Nehru,Nasser era must continue" 4o strengthen Egypt,India relations in the
coming years, as the recent global trends suggest, the stress needs to be on the economic
cooperation" $onsolidation of economic relations !ill inevitably lead to stronger political
ties !hich can help the both in many !ays" India !as Egypt*s fourth largest trading
partner behind the ?, Italy and audi Arabia in 233& and in 233- and 233& largest
importer of Egyptian products" 4his trend could shoot up further"
Doth the countries have potential to improve cooperation in many other areas" Eor
e2ample, Egypt8s e2perience and e2pertise in producing and maintaining !orld,class
tourist infrastructure can be used by India in its hospitality industry" imilarly, India can
share her e2periences in the field of modernisation of rail!ays ,,including in signaling,
speed control, early !arning systems,, and use of information and communication
technology for shipping, port services, and airports through specific pro#ects" India can
offer its e2pertise in the development of small and medium enterprises :MEs;" Indian
institutions such as National Research 5evelopment $orporation :NR5$;, National
mall Industries $orporation :NI$;, National Institute for mall Industries E2tension
4raining (NIIE4; and mall Industries 5evelopment Dan) of India :I5DI; can ma)e
important contribution by !or)ing !ith identified counterpart institutions in Egypt" Doth
!ere hit by avian flu in 233%
and they can engage in more intensive consultations and e2change information and
e2perience on dealing !ith this menace" As Indian companies establish themselves in
Egypt and it becomes a manufacturing hub for the region, small enterprises supplying
intermediate products and inputs for large plants can be established successfully as
au2iliaries to these large plants, on the Indian model"
Egypt8s permission to set up an KIndia GoneL along the ue0 $anal development area is
an important step aimed to create an India,specific industrial corridor for collaboration
'%
!ith Egyptian companies to capture the European and African mar)ets" 4his is a ma#or
industrial initiative !hish sho!s India8s gro!ing industrial clout and its capacity to
emerge as a strong and reliable partner of Egypt" 4his offer can give tremendous
opportunity to India to e2tend its reach to emerging mar)ets of Africa and Mediterranean"
It !ill also chec) $hina8s gro!ing clout in this region" Increase in economic relations
!ill help to give them a shared perspective on ma#or international issues" It can enhance
their consultation and co,ordination in the ?N and other international forums" It !ill
strengthen people,to,people contacts as number of Indians visiting Egypt is increasing
substantially" India has one of the largest technical man po!ers in the !orld and its
s)illed human resource can be availed by Egypt for the development of its various
sectors" 4here can be enhanced collaboration bet!een India8s II4s and IIMs and many
technical and financial institutions of Egypt" $ollaboration in the health sector is another
promising area, !here India can share its e2perience in producing pharmaceuticals and
offer its medical e2pertise to Egyptian nationals at competitive prices" $o,operation could
also be envisaged in areas such as space, peaceful uses of nuclear energy and defence
production" India and Egypt have faced heinous terrorist acts and both support ? efforts
to stamp out terrorism" 4hey can collaborate in sharing intelligence inputs and provide
tactical support to each other to meet this challenge"
India and Egypt are t!o societies in similar stages of development and face
common challenges in the area of socio,economic development" Doth have pressure of
population on limited land, pollution and degradation of environment, (uality of
education, health,care and housing, re(uirements of food security and energy security,
employment, problem of targeting subsidies to the needy, corruption, reform of public
enterprises, inflation, modernisation of agriculture and industry, and face the challenge to
cope !ith the aspirations of a young population" Egypt is an oil and gas,e2porting
middle,income country !hile India is oil and gas,importing lo!,income country" Doth
India and Egypt are at different stages of economic reforms and liberali0ation" Doth face
economic disparities bet!een different sections of population and bet!een different
B3
regions of the country" It is therefore necessary for both the countries to ma)e
development e(uitable, inclusive and sustainable" 4hey need to ensure a peaceful and
stable economic gro!th" Doth can enhance national capacities to deal !ith international
terrorism, proliferation of !eapons of mass destruction, <I6MAI5 and other pandemics,
cyber,crime, trans,national organised crimes such as money,laundering, traffic)ing in
humans, arms and narcotics"
Egypt en#oys an outstanding position in the region, both by virtue of its strategic
location and being largest country and a regional po!er" It has a pre,eminent position in
the Arab spea)ing !orld" It has a history of cultural cosmopolitanism and civilisational
lin)s !ith India" 5uring the recent meeting bet!een India8s E2ternal Affairs Minister
M Frishna and Eield Marshall Mohamed <ussein 4anta!i, head of the ruling upreme
$ouncil of the Armed Eorces :$AE;, it !as felt that India,Egypt relations should
recover some of the lost flavour of the Nasser,Nehru era, in tune !ith the demands of
modern times" Need has also been felt to establish a soaring relationship !ith a strong
strategic content" 4he visit and response it received sho! that irrespective of change of
leadership in Egypt, preferential relationship bet!een the t!o countries !ill continue in
the times to come" In the present globalised !orld !here economic lin)s determine the
political relations bet!een the nations, India and Egypt stand out to benefit from the
vibrant economic cooperation they have built in the recent years"
eferences!
1" 4he tatesman8s Iear Doo) 233', 9algrave Macmillan, 1ondon, 2332, p" .&%A
4he >orld Eact Doo), $IAA 9ateman, Robert and 9ateman, al!a El,<amamsy,
Egypt, Marshall $avendish, ingapore, 233', p"&"
2" Nantambu, F!ame: Egypt J Afrocentric /eopolitics: Essays on European
upremacy, Imhotep 9ublishing $ompany, 1os Angeles, 1%%-A Rubin, Darry,
K4he /eopolitics of Middle East $onflict and $risisL, Middle East Review of
International Affairs, 6olume 2, No" ', eptember 1%%+"
B1
'" Eor evolution of Egyptian identity, see, M!ani)a, Eva Ntho)i: Ancient Egyptian
Identity, A Masters 4hesis submitted to 5epartment of <istory, Miami ?niversity,
=hio, 233B" :?npublished;
B" ee, K5emographics of EgyptL,
http:MMen"!i)ipedia"orgM!i)iM5emographicsQofQEgyptA 4he >orld Eact Doo),
$IA, at, http:MMcs"fit"eduMRryanMfactboo)Mfactboo)MgeosMeg"html: 4he Europa >orld
Iear Doo) 2331, Europa 9ublications, 1ondon, 2331, 3" 1B2B"
. 4he >orld Almanac and Doo) of Eacts 233&, Ne! Ior), 233&, p" &-%"
- Economic statistics of Egypt are available on its Ministry of Economic
5evelopment !ebsite at, !!!"mop"gov"egMM=9QME4AMnsdp"htmlA also see,
tatesman8s Iear Doo), op. cit", p" .+2
& ee, 4he Europa >orld Iear Doo), op. cit"A Egypt,International 4rade,
Encyclopedia of Nations, available at, http:MM!!!"nationsencyclopedia"com
:retrieved on 1'"1"2311;
+ Hain, ulabh: 4he Evolution of Religion: 4he <istory and Religions of Egypt and
<arappan India, 1eadstart 9ublishing, 233%A 5as /upta, Ashin: India and the
Indian =cean >orld 4rade and 9olitics, =?9, 233B, pp" B, %-,1&B,1&&"
% 4haroor, hashi: Nehru: the invention of India, Arcade 9ublishing, Ne! Ior),
233', pp" 1.%,1%2A also see, Gachariah, Den#amin :233B;: Nehru, Routledge
4aylor J Erancis /roup, p" 222"
13 All the visits by Indian dignitaries to Egypt and vice versa have been given on the
!ebsite of Indian Embassy in Egypt, !hich are available at,
http:MM!!!"indembcairo"comM>eb7239agesMindQegyQbilateral"asp2
11 Eor treaties and Mo?s signed bet!een India and Egypt have been listed by Indian
Ministry of e2ternal Affairs" ee, KIndia Egypt RelationsL, at,
http:MM!!!"mea"gov"inMmea2psiteMforeignrelationMegypt"pdf
B2
12 tatement by hri Famal Nath, ?nion Minister of $ommerce and Industry, on &
August, 2313" Available at,
http:MMcommerce"nic"inM9ressReleaseMpressreleaseQdetail"aspSidT22.'A Eor India8s
economic relations !ith Egypt see, Fhan, Haved Ahmed: India and >est Asia:
Emerging Mar)ets in the 1iberalisation Era, age, Ne! 5elhi, 1%%%, pp" 12.,'3
1' KIndia,Egypt Dilateral RelationsL, Indian Embassy in $airo8s !ebsite, op., cit",
1B Egyptian investment in India !as about &.3 million dollars in 233+, according to
the Egyptian ambassador" Eor statement of Indian Ambassador to Egypt in this
regard, ee, KIndia, Egypt trade touches C' billionL, rediff D?INE, August 11,
2313, at, http:MMbusiness"rediff"comMreportM2313MaugM11Mindia,egypt,trade,
touches,',billion"htm
1. KIndia8s business ma#ors plan mega investments in EgyptL, Thaindia News, April
1B, 233+A 1alitha Rao, K4here is increasing potential for Indian companies in
Egypt, Project Monitor Weekly, August 2, 2313A herine El Madany, KIndia to
increase private investments in EgyptL, Daily News Ey!t, August 1', 233&A 4"
Rama)rishnan, KEgypt !oos Indian investment in rene!able energyL, The "ind#,
November 23, 233%"
1- KFirlos)ar 9umps green the sands of EgyptL, 9amphlet published by Firlos)ar
Drothers 1imited, ?dyog Dhavan, 4ila) Road, 9uneA ince its introduction in
1%%-, Ranba2y Egypt is continuously reinforcing its position as a ne! name in the
9harmaceutical Industry in Egypt, bac)ed by the image of Ranba2y International"
ee, Ranba2y /lobal 9resence, Egypt, at,
http:MM!!!"basics"deMsriMaoaMenglishMcorporateMpresence,detail"htm
1& Eor a detailed list of Indian 9ublic ector Enterprises in EgyptA Indian Hoint
ventures in EgyptA RepresentativeM Regional offices f Indian $ompanies in EgyptA
5ealersM Agents of Indian companies in Egypt, see, Embassy of India $airo,
Egypt 233%, at, http:MM!!!"indembcairo"comM>eb7239agesMindQEnterprise"asp2
B'
1+ KIndian 9ro#ects in EgyptL, Embassy of India $airo, op. cit.,
1% Erom the statement of Indian Ambassador R" !aminathan" 9ress Release no 2%,
Huly '3, 233%"
23 Al$Ahra% Weekely =n,line, Issue No" 131., 1-,22 eptember, 2313"
21 KEgypt !ants more Indian touristsL, The Econo%ic Ti%es, =ctober 1B, 2313"
BB