State Visit of President of Egypt to India

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• India – Egypt Bilateral Relation
• What is the level of Trade relation between India and Egypt?
• What is the level of Defence cooperation between India and Egypty?
• How was the Cooperation between India and Egypt during Covid-19 & Russia – Ukraine war?
• News Summary: State Visit of President of Egypt to India
• What is the significance of the Republic Day invite?
• Why Egypt has been chosen this year?
• Conclusion

 

Why in news?

• President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, is on a State visit to India from 24-26 January 2023.
• President Sisi, who is on his second State Visit to India, will also be the Chief Guest on India’s 74th Republic Day.
  • This is for the first time that President of the Arab Republic of Egypt has been invited as Chief Guest on our Republic Day. 
  • A military contingent from Egyptian Army will also participate in the Republic Day parade.

  

India – Egypt Bilateral Relation

• India and Egypt enjoy warm and friendly relations marked by civilizational, cultural and economic linkages and deep-rooted people-to-people ties. 
• India and Egypt are celebrating 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations this year. 
• Egypt has also been invited as a ‘Guest Country’ during India’s Presidency of G-20 in 2022-23.

 

What is the level of Trade relation between India and Egypt?

• Bilateral trade between India and Egypt achieved a record high of USD 7.26 billion in FY 2021-22. 
  • The trade was fairly balanced, with USD 3.74 billion Indian exports to Egypt and USD 3.52 billion imports from Egypt to India. 
• More than 50 Indian companies have invested around USD 3.15 billion in diverse sectors of Egyptian economy, including chemicals, energy, textile, garment, agri-business, retail, etc.

 

What is the level of Defence cooperation between India and Egypty?

• Desert Warrior exercise was conducted as the first-ever joint tactical exercise by the air force of the two countries.
• The more recent exercise between the special forces is another indication of the growing willingness to work together. 
• The Egyptians have also shown some interest in India’s Tejas fighter jets and Dhruv light attack helicopters.
• A military contingent from the Egyptian Army will participate in this year’s Republic Day parade.

 

How was the Cooperation between India and Egypt during Covid-19 & Russia – Ukraine war?

• When India was hit hard by the second wave of COVID-19, Egypt responded by dispatching three plane loads of medical supplies and providing 300,000 doses of Remdesivir in May 2021.
• India reciprocated a year later when Egypt, the world’s largest importer of wheat, was facing a dire situation following the abrupt halt in wheat shipments from Ukraine following the war.
  • In May last year, India — which had put a ban on sale of wheat — allowed export of 61,000 tonnes to Egypt.

 

News Summary: State Visit of President of Egypt to India

• Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the chief guest for the Republic Day celebrations this year, reached India.
• During the visit, both sides will sign several MoUs and discuss taking ties forward on strategic issues, defence, trade, agriculture and renewable energy.

 

What is the significance of the Republic Day invite?

• An invitation to be the Republic Day chief guest is highly symbolic from the Indian government’s perspective.
• The choice of chief guest every year is dictated by a number of reasons — strategic and diplomatic, business interests, and international geo-politics.

 

Why Egypt has been chosen this year?

 

Push to engage the Global South

• The invitation to Mr. Sisi is also being seen as part of the government’s push to engage the Global South.

 

Rekindling of the principles of non-alignment

• This invitation is also seen as an attempt to rekindle the principles of non-alignment that have come back to the fore during Russia – Ukraine war.

 

Strategic weight of Egypt

• With a population of almost 110 million, Egypt is situated at a location that straddles Africa and Asia.
• It has a standing army that is the largest in the region, a capital that hosts the League of Arab States and a diplomatic presence that punches above its weight in global affairs.
• India is keen on further expanding its ties with Egypt, a key player in the politics of both the Arab world as well as Africa. 

 

Economic importance of Egypt

• Egypt has boosted its attractiveness through a series of free trade agreements that span Africa (ACFTA; AGADIR; COMESA), Europe (EFTA), Latin America (MERCOSUR) and the Arab world (GAFTA).
• It is also seen as a major gateway to markets in Africa and Europe.

 

Egypt’s plans to develop the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE)  into a global manufacturing hub

• The ambitious plans to develop the Suez Canal Economic Zone into a global manufacturing hub are now gathering critical mass.
• SCZONE sits astride both banks of the Suez Canal, a strategic waterway that connects the Mediterranean with the Red Sea to provide the shortest link between European and Asian markets.
  • Almost, 20 percent of global container trade takes place through this canal.
• China, as usual, has been the first to take advantage of the opportunities presented by SCZONE.
  • China views SCZONE as a vital part of its Belt and Road and Maritime Silk Road projects.
• A deeper economic engagement with Egypt therefore acquires an additional strategic imperative.

 

Resetting India’s ties with Muslim-majority countries

• India’s ties with Muslim-majority countries were tested following controversial remarks made by then spokesperson of ruling party in June 2022.
• That Egypt was one of the few countries from the Arab world which did not react officially to the controversial remarks.

Conclusion

• There are clear indications that India and Egypt may finally be moving towards achieving some of the potential in bilateral ties that has remained unfulfilled for the last four decades.

 

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Q1)What is Suez canal?

 The Suez Canal is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. The canal is operated and maintained by the state-owned Suez Canal Authority (SCA) of Egypt.

 

Q2) What are some of the deserts in Africa?

 Africa - the second largest continent in the world is also home to the largest desert in the world - the Sahara. Other deserts include Kalahari Desert, Karoo Desert, Danakil Desert, Chalbi Desert, Namib Desert, and Guban Desert.

 

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Source: Egypt President Sisi to meet PM Modi, President Murmu today; six agreements being finalised | Ministry of External Affairs | ORF | The Hindu |Times Of India