Monday, 25 May 2026
Egypt and India hold first round of strategic dialogue in New Delhi
The inaugural round of the Egypt-India Strategic Dialogue took place Thursday, October 16, 2025, in New Delhi, signaling a new chapter in the growing partnership between the two nations. The talks were co-chaired by Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Expatriates, and Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s Minister of External Affairs.
According to Ambassador Tamim Khalaf, Spokesperson for Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the dialogue’s launch underscores the rapid expansion of bilateral ties and shared aspirations to advance their strategic partnership. This partnership was established during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic visit to Egypt in June 2023. Both countries highlighted their mutual commitment to raising the level of cooperation and closely following up on the implementation of agreements spanning a wide range of sectors.
The ministers welcomed the significant progress in Egypt-India relations, emphasizing the value of high-level coordination and understanding between their nations’ leadership. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Egypt-India Friendship Agreement, a milestone celebrated with the intent to deepen cooperation across multiple fields for the benefit of both peoples.
The strategic dialogue addressed key areas for enhanced collaboration: boosting economic, trade and investment ties, supporting joint innovation and technology programs, and strengthening defense cooperation, including training and defense industries. Security efforts were also discussed, particularly counterterrorism and intelligence sharing, along with wide-ranging political consultations on pressing regional and international issues and South-South cooperation.
Dr. Abdelatty expressed Egypt’s eagerness to hold further high-level meetings, specifically proposing the 8th session of the Egypt-India Joint Committee be held in Cairo during the first half of 2026. He also underlined the importance of convening a business forum alongside the committee to foster closer economic relations.
Highlighting recent Egyptian economic reforms, Dr. Abdelatty outlined steps such as prudent monetary policy and a flexible exchange rate, which have enhanced Egypt’s economic outlook and credit rating. Collaboration opportunities in green transformation, including solar panel and wind turbine manufacturing and the production of electrolyzers for green hydrogen, were discussed, as were opportunities in textiles, an area attracting growing Indian investment. Dr. Abdelatty invited Indian companies to invest in Egypt to serve both local and export markets, noting the incentives available in the Suez Canal Economic Zone.
He further congratulated India on its upcoming presidency of BRICS in 2026, reaffirming Egypt’s full support and readiness to work towards shared prosperity for all group members.
On regional developments, Dr. Abdelatty reviewed Egypt’s tireless efforts over the past two years to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, culminating in the historic Sharm El-Sheikh Summit. He welcomed India’s participation and reiterated Egypt’s commitment to ensuring the full implementation of the agreement, expediting early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza, and facilitating humanitarian aid. Dr. Abdelatty stressed the necessity of a viable political process to enable the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and establish an independent state along the June 4, 1967, borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. He also addressed Egypt’s positions on Sudan, Libya, Lebanon, and Yemen.
For his part, Minister Jaishankar praised the remarkable growth in Egypt-India relations and expressed India’s determination to deepen cooperation across all political, economic, and commercial domains. He also commended Egypt’s leadership and active role in promoting peace and security in the Middle East, especially Cairo’s pivotal role in helping to end the conflict in Gaza. Minister Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s steadfast commitment to a two-state solution as the foundation for lasting peace.
Both ministers concurred that the current multilateral international system, notably the United Nations Security Council, is facing a crisis of credibility and effectiveness, as reflected in its paralysis amid major world crises. They noted that failures in rapid action—from Gaza to Sudan—have allowed conflicts to devolve into humanitarian catastrophes, highlighting the urgent need for reform to better uphold the principles of global peace and security.
The first round of the Egypt-India Strategic Dialogue concludes with both sides looking forward to deepening their robust cooperation for the benefit of their peoples and the international community as a whole.