NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Egypt this month, on his way back from a trip to the US, to take forward cooperation in areas ranging from security to renewable energy, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
The proposed visit is expected to build on the momentum generated by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s trip to India in January when he was the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations.
The visit, the dates and agenda for which are being locked down by the two sides, is set to be a short affair. The prime minister is expected to travel to Egypt immediately after the conclusion of his state visit to the US on June 24, the people said.
Sisi was the first Egyptian leader to be hosted by India for the Republic Day celebrations though the two countries have enjoyed close relations in past decades, especially as founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in 1961.
A high-level visit from the Indian side has been overdue as Sisi has travelled to India three times in recent years – in October 2015, to attend the third India-Africa Forum Summit, in September 2016 for his first state visit, and again in January this year.
{{/usCountry}}A high-level visit from the Indian side has been overdue as Sisi has travelled to India three times in recent years – in October 2015, to attend the third India-Africa Forum Summit, in September 2016 for his first state visit, and again in January this year.
{{/usCountry}}A planned visit to Egypt by the prime minister in 2020 fell through because of the Covid-19 pandemic. “The upcoming visit will be an opportunity to maintain the momentum created by Sisi’s visit this year and to take stock of progress in relations since then,” one of the people cited above said.
Cooperation in defence and security and renewable energy, especially green hydrogen, have emerged as key pillars in bilateral relations. The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on enhancing defence cooperation last year and agreed to bolster joint exercises. Egypt is eyeing India’s home-grown light combat aircraft Tejas for a plan to acquire 70 fighter jets.
The Egyptian side has concluded three agreements with Indian firms, with planned investments in excess of $21 billion, to produce green hydrogen.
As part of efforts to foster inter-faith dialogue and tackle issues such as radicalisation and extremism, the Grand Mufti of Egypt, Shawki Ibrahim Abdel-Karim Allam, visited India in May and held a series of meetings with religious leaders.