India, Egypt deepen strategic partnership

India and Egypt on Wednesday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their strategic partnership and working together for stability in West Asia, as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry co-chaired the first India-Egypt strategic dialogue in New Delhi.

Calling the dialogue a “milestone” in the two nations’ rapidly evolving partnership, Jaishankar said the meeting provided an opportunity to take stock of growing defence, political and economic cooperation and to chart new directions to realise the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

“Our meeting for the first India-Egypt strategic dialogue marks a milestone in our ties. Since elevating our relationship to a Strategic Partnership in 2023, cooperation across various domains has intensified,” Jaishankar said.

He praised Egypt’s role in brokering peace in Gaza and reaffirmed India’s support for a two-state solution and all efforts aimed at a “durable and just peace” in the region.

“I would like to appreciate the leadership of President Sisi in realising the Gaza peace plan,” Jaishankar said, adding that Prime Minister Modi “appreciated President Sisi’s invitation” to the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit for Peace, where Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh represented India.

He said India would continue to back Palestinian capacity building and institutional development, underscoring that “India has been consistent in its support for a two-state solution”.

Jaishankar highlighted the deepening defence and security exchanges, strong political coordination and growing trade and investment links between the two countries.

“We can also explore possibilities in digital public infrastructure, fintech, pharma, space, startups and green technologies,” he said, noting that cultural and people-to-people exchanges “befitting two old civilisations” also remain central to the partnership.

The EAM expressed India’s gratitude for Egypt’s assistance in evacuating Indian nationals during the regional crisis in June and for the solidarity shown after the Pahalgam terrorist attack earlier this year. “We thank you very much for all that you did at that time,” he said, acknowledging the close communication between the two leaders following the incident.

Positioning the partnership within a broader geopolitical frame, Jaishankar said both countries shared a strong commitment to the progress of the Global South and the “strengthening of independence and freedom of choice of nations in world affairs”.

He said in an increasingly complex and volatile world, India and Egypt’s cooperation stood as a pillar of balance and resilience. “This solidarity will surely guide our discussions today,” he noted, expressing confidence that the Strategic Dialogue would help shape “a partnership that reflects our shared aspirations and common responsibilities”.