Egypt has set an ambitious target of raising bilateral trade with India to USD 12 billion, nearly doubling current levels, as the two countries seek to deepen cooperation across energy, manufacturing, agriculture and strategic connectivity.
Speaking at a media interaction at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia on January 22, Egypt’s Ambassador to India Kamel Zayed Galal said the present trade volume of around USD 5 billion does not reflect the true potential of the relationship. Indian investments in Egypt, currently estimated at USD 3.7 billion, are expected to cross USD 10 billion in the coming years, he said, urging Indian companies to view Egypt as a long-term strategic partner rather than a short-term market.
Energy, particularly renewable energy and green hydrogen, has emerged as a priority sector. Galal highlighted Egypt’s solar and wind potential, expanding infrastructure and access to major global shipping routes, positioning the country as a future hub for green energy production and exports. Fertilisers, agriculture and industrial manufacturing were also identified as areas where supply-chain integration could quickly boost trade volumes.
Egypt’s industrial zones and its free trade agreements with African and European markets were pitched as key advantages for Indian firms seeking wider market access. “Egypt is not only a destination market but also a production and export platform,” Galal said, pointing to the country’s Red Sea and Mediterranean ports and the Suez Canal, which handles roughly 12 percent of global trade.
India and Egypt elevated ties to a Strategic Partnership in 2023 following high-level exchanges between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. According to the Ambassador, the focus has now shifted from symbolism to implementation, with economic delivery at the core.
Outlining Egypt’s broader foreign policy outlook, Galal said Cairo favours strategic autonomy, multilateralism and the primacy of the nation-state, rejecting rigid bloc politics. He noted that this approach aligns closely with India’s worldview and its call for reform of global institutions such as the United Nations.
Egypt also expressed openness to participating in the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor, arguing that connectivity should be seen as a flexible network rather than a single route. With its ports, transport infrastructure and energy links, Egypt sees itself as a natural bridge between Asia, Africa and Europe.
On regional security issues, the Ambassador underlined Egypt’s role in humanitarian mediation in Gaza, its opposition to any forced displacement of Palestinians and described Nile water security as an existential concern amid ongoing disputes over Ethiopia’s GERD project, stressing that while Egypt has exercised patience, its national security interests remain non-negotiable.
