(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
India and Egypt are charting out an increasingly strategic
bilateral relationship with more focus on defence and security
aspects. While New Delhi is looking at Cairo as its next big market
for arms exports, Egypt is eager to play a key role in yielding its
influence in Asia as a representative of both Africa and the Arab
world, Trend reports citing The Print .
India and Egypt are now partnering with each other across all
spectrums of their bilateral ties based on a sound historical and
traditional relationship. From exporting wheat to Egypt despite a
ban on its shipments to greater military-to-military relationship,
India is leaving no stone unturned to bring Egypt under its
strategic embrace.
A delegation from the Egyptian Air Force will be visiting this
month led by their Air Chief Mahmoud Foaad Abd El-Gawad“to scout
for India's defence equipment” as New Delhi eyes more and more
markets to export its defence items post the success of sale of
Brahmos to the Philippines in January this year, official sources
told ThePrint.
India and Egypt are currently holding a major exercise between
both the Air Forces touted to be a“unique exercise with Air assets
in a Large Force Engagement environment, simulating various
conflict scenarios. The exercise is aimed at enhancing defence
cooperation between the two countries and exchange of best
practices”, according to a statement issued by the Defence Ministry
last week.
“In the present geopolitical scenario, this exercise provides a
unique opportunity to showcase the reach and capability of the IAF.
It will also provide an opportunity to showcase the Su-30 MKI
manufactured in India by HAL and our country's expertise for deeper
indigenisation of spares and components,” it said.
Sources also said that encouraged by the Brahmos deal — talks
for which are also on with Vietnam — New Delhi is increasingly
looking at Egypt for a range of its defence produce as Cairo looks
to consistently expand and diversify its military hardware.
With concerns growing about India being unable to source repair
and spare parts for its Russian equipment, New Delhi is now relying
on Cairo to provide these as Egypt also has robust defence ties
with Russia, sources said.
India and Egypt are also closely aligning themselves on the
security situation in Afghanistan. External Affairs Minister S.
Jaishankar met his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry on the
sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly last year to
discuss the issue.
Anil Trigunayat, a former Indian envoy to Jordan, Libya, and
Malta, told ThePrint that Egypt was looking for more defence items
with India but that“they want joint collaborations”.
“Egypt is an important country. It is a unique part of Africa
and the Arab world. They have continued to maintain a good
relationship with Russia in terms of defence partnership, which is
good for India,” he said.“They regard themselves to be a major
player. India also wants to collaborate with them on
counterterrorism.”
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