The Egyptian President is on a three day visit to India and is the Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations.
To further enhance its outreach to West Asia, India and Egypt have elevated their bilateral relationship to the level of a `Strategic Partnership’. This comes after the conclusion of talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi as both leaders agreed to further expand ties in various sectors including defence and security, counter terrorism and trade.
Briefing the media persons at the end of talks between the two leaders, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said that the bilateral trade between the two countries in the next five years is expected to achieve USD 12 billion from the present USD seven billion. And described PM Modi-President Sisi talks as “extremely productive” and “very warm”.
Earlier in the day, at a joint press conference PM Modi said that they have decided under the India-Egypt Strategic Partnership the two will develop a long-term framework for greater cooperation in the fields of security, politics, economics and science.
Both leaders at the end of wide ranging talks were unanimous in their view that concrete measures are needed to end cross border terrorism as terrorism is the most serious security threat to humanity.
The visiting leader said that they discussed bilateral defence cooperation, regional and global issues as well as about enhancing connectivity, adding that Egypt is keen to see more Indian tourists visiting that country.
The Egyptian leader is on a three day visit to India and is the Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations on Thursday.
MoUs & Agreements
The two countries at the end of talks exchanged several MoUs in the field of culture, information technology, cyber security, youth matters and broadcasting.
In the presence of the two leaders commemorative postage stamps to mark the milestone of 75 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Egypt were also exchanged.
Outcomes
The Strategic Partnership has four pillars, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra told the media persons at a special briefing in New Delhi at the end of talks between the two leaders.
According to him the four key pillars of this partnership include: Political & Security cooperation, segment of economic engagement, scientific and academic collaboration, and lastly wider cultural and people-to-people contacts.
Both countries are going to look for more defence cooperation and the focus is expected to be on joint exercises, training, defence platforms and industrial partnership.
Also according to the foreign secretary Cyber security, countering radicalisation, counter-terrorism, will also be a key focus of the bilateral partnership. He said to boost the security partnership between the two countries for the first time India has been invited to join the Egyptian tri-services exercises: Brightstar, which are scheduled to take place later this year. For the first time a contingent from the Egyptian Armed Forces is going to march down the Kartavya path.
Bilateral Trade
Both sides are set to boost their trade in information technology, infrastructure development, pharmaceuticals, among other fields.
Food security
Due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war the supply chains were disrupted. The two leaders have both agreed to build secure supply chains for food, energy, fertilisers and other important products.
https://www.financialexpress.com/defence/india-egypt-ties-get-elevated-to-strategic-partnership-trade-seen-touching-12-bn-in-five-years/2960395/?utm_source=defence_landing_page&utm_medium=article_listing_widget&utm_campaign=Tags
