India and Egypt have both endured relatively similar trials and tribulations and underwent various social metamorphosis with plethora of issues like colonialism, post-colonial socialism, nationalism so on and so forth. It became a catalyst for the leaders of both the countries to develop a fresh start after Second World War. This has culminated into Non-Aligned Movement, which intended to protect the interest of undeveloped nations in international politics.
In this article, the major objective is to find out the importance of these bilateral relations keeping in mind the contemporary foreign policy trends. This article would be divided into two parts. In the first part, the multifold facets of the bilateral relations would be analysed as it ranges from economic to cultural aspect. In the next part, the relevance and evolution of the bilateral relations would be discussed where pattern of relationship has been much more issue based compared to the ideological disposition during Neheruvian era.
Multifold Facets of Bilateral Relations:
The bilateral relations between India and Egypt is based on multifold dimension. In the political front, India and Egypt share close political understanding based on long history of contacts and cooperation on bilateral, regional and global issues. Since the 1980s, there have been four Prime Ministerial visits from India to Egypt: Shri Rajiv Gandhi (1985); Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao (1995); Shri I. K. Gujral (1997); and Dr. Manmohan Singh (2009, NAM Summit). From the Egyptian side, President Hosni Mubarak visited India in 1982, in 1983 (NAM Summit) and again in 2008. High level exchanges with Egypt continued after the 2011 Egyptian Revolution and President Mohamed Morsy visited India in March 2013. The year 2015 has seen more intense political cooperation between two countries with regular interactions at leadership and Ministerial level. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met President Sisi on the sidelines of UNGA, New York in September 2015. Their talks focussed on counter terrorism, deepening economic engagement, and regional issues.
In the same year, five Ministerial level visits from India to Egypt; which included Shri Prakash Javadekar who participated in the 15th African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) in March 2015; Special Envoy of PM, Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi met President Sisi in July 2015; Shipping Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari, represented India at the opening of the new Suez Canal in August 2015 and met President Sisi; and then External Affairs Minister Late Smt. Sushma Swaraj visited Cairo and met President Sisi, Foreign Minister and Secretary General of League of Arab States in August 2015 (two MoUs on Tourism and Science and Technology cooperation were signed during the visit); Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Minister of State for Parliamentary and Minority Affairs participated in the 25th International Conference of Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs at Luxor, Egypt in November 2015.
In the economic front, Egypt has traditionally been one of India's most important trading partners in the African continent. The India-Egypt Bilateral Trade Agreement has been in operation since March 1978 and is based on the Most Favoured Nation clause. The total bilateral trade increased almost 60% from US$ 3 billion in 2009-10 to US$ 4.89 billion in 2014-15. India is the sixth largest trading partner of Egypt – the third largest export destination and eleventh largest import source for Egypt. India exports to Egypt during FY 2017-18 recorded US$ 2.39 billion. The top five Indian exports during this period were; Meat, light vessels & floating cranes, Petroleum Oil, Cotton Yarn and Motor Cars while the top five Indian imports were; Petroleum Oil, Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbon, Natural Calcium Phosphates, Raw Cotton and coke & semi-coke. Over 450 Indian companies are operating in Egypt of which around 50 are in manufacturing and construction. Major Indian investments in Egypt include TCI Sanmar, Alexandria Carbon Black, Kirloskar, Dabur India, EgyptIndia Polyester Company (EIPET), SCIB Paints, Godrej, Mahindra and Monginis. Indian companies also execute projects in railway signaling, pollution control, water treatment, irrigation, anti-collision devices etc.
Indian Pharmaceutical major Hetero Drugs Ltd launched a joint venture in May 2015 to produce a Hepatitis-C drug and Sun Pharma has recently commenced operations. Indian companies are present in almost every sector including apparel, agriculture, chemicals, energy, automobiles, retail and others. Overall, these companies provide direct and indirect employment to approximately 35,000 Egyptians.
In the cultural front, The Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC) was set up in Cairo in 1992 to promote cultural cooperation between the two countries, through the implementation of the Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP). The Centre, in addition to popularizing Indian culture through Hindi, Urdu, Yoga classes, dance classes, seminars, film shows and exhibitions, also organizes cultural festivals. The 5th edition of India by the Nile, the annual Indian cultural festival, was held from 4 to 16 March 2018 for over two weeks in three cities in Egypt – Cairo, , Alexandria, and Port Said. The Festival is produced on public private partnership. The festival is billed as the ̳biggest foreign cultural festival‘ in Egypt.
At present, the Indian community in Egypt numbers at around 3600, most of whom are concentrated in Cairo. There are also a small number of families in Alexandria, Port Said and Ismailia. A majority of the Indians are either employed with Indian companies or are professionals with various multinationals. Apart from that, Yoga has gained popularity in Egypt with more than 50 schools in Cairo, besides centers in other cities. The International Day of Yoga 2018 was celebrated with enthusiasm in Cairo, Ismailia and Alexandria.
Relevance and Evolution of Bilateral Relationship:
In the post-independence period, India's foreign policy has got a new dimension owing to Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) where Nasser also contributed in a positive fashion. In this context, it is also important to understand what are the situations that have channelised to initiate this alternative away from superpower politics.
Egypt's affinity with the NAM grew out of its close contacts with the newly independent states of the South. In April 1955, a few weeks after the Israeli attack on Gaza, and the Iraqi decision on joining the Western alliance system, Nasser made his first journey to the East- to Pakistan, India, Burma and to Bandung. Nasser's previous contacts with Asian leaders had been in Cairo where Prime Minister Nehru had made a habit of stopping off on many of his trips to London. There was evidence that Nehru's persuasion was required to get Nasser to accept the invitation to attend the first Afro-Asian Conference at Bandung. Egypt's interests increased when it became known that a large African delegation would attend. It seemed that the chief attraction for Nasser in the journey has led to the prospects of closer ties with India and also with other AfroAsian states. A treaty of friendship between Egypt and India was signed in Cairo on April 7, 1955. He hoped to convince Nehru regarding the justice of the Arab cause in Palestine and to win India's support for it in the United Nations. Thus, it will not be wrong to say that the Bandung Conference widened the Egyptian foreign policy horizon from the narrow Arab angle to a wider Afro-Asian environment.
In this context, it is very important to note that the base of India- Egypt bilateral relations used to depend on India's unrelentless support for the Palestinian cause. It is noteworthy to mention that in several summits of NAM, India reinforced Palestinian cause directly. In the second NAM Summit in Cairo in October 1964, NAM explicitly endorsed the principle of self- determination for the Palestinians and declared its full support to the Arab people of Palestine in their struggle for liberation from colonialism and racism. The third summit at Lusaka in 1970 maintained that Israel had occupied the territories of three non-aligned countries and added the full respect for the inalienable rights of the Arab people of Palestine as a prerequisite for peace in the Middle East and reaffirmed its support to them in their struggle for national liberation and against colonialism and racism. The Algiers declaration of NAM in 1973, at India's insistence emphasized that just and durable peace in the region could be obtained only on the basis of two indispensible fundamental pre-requisites; restoration of the Palestine people's national rights, the foremost among which is the right to return to self-determination along with ensuring global recognition of the PLO as the legitimate and the sole representative of the Palestinian people.
At the Colombo NAM Summit in 1976, India wholeheartedly supported a resolution thatcondemned Israel's racist, expansionist, terrorist policy and its attempt to Judaise Arab territories.
Following the period of Nasser, when Sadat came to power, the Egyptian polity has gained a different momentum altogether especially after the historic Camp David Accord in 1978. Following the Camp David Accord between Egypt and Israel, India's relations with Egypt also took a new course as the pattern has shifted from the ideological during Neheruvian era to issue based.
Rajiv Gandhi's visit to Egypt symbolised the renewal of friendship between India and Egypt. Prime Minister Rajiv Ganghi and President Hosni Mubarak reviewed the explosive West Asian setting and considered the measures that NAM could take to defuse the Iran-Iraq war.
After the regime of Rajiv Gandhi, Indian Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao met Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo's Itihada Palace in October, 1995 and signed a seminar security accord designed to curb militant violence. Prime Minister Rao mainly concentrated on media, science and technology along with Middle East Peace process and United Nations Reform. Mubarak was against the rise of Islamic radicalism in Egypt , as it contradicts the democratic environment of the country. In this context, Muslim Brotherhood became the sole target of Mubarak. The difference between Mubarak and Muslim Brotherhood came to the limelight when Muslim Brotherhood became a force to be reckoned with in te political sphere of Egypt. Alongside its political achievements, Muslim Brotherhood delivered impressive services to the sectors of lower middle class. With the progression of economic liberalization in the mid 1970s, it was evident that Islamic activity was significantly expanding in economic matters. With the diminishing state role in the economic management and planning, Islamic groups were participating in the growth of banks, investment companies and persoal business venture. In the 1980s, Infitah policies helped Islamic Banks and financial institutions to prosper. Mubarak's regime took a vigorous position against Islamic investment companies in the year following its agreement with the IMF in 1987.
Later, when I.K.Gujral became the Prime Minister of India, in his week long trip, he focused on Uganda, South Africa and Egypt. Africa is fertile ground for many reasons. A visit to these three countries where India has a legacy of relations was overdue. When Gujral set course for Africa, the imperatives were clear to him. As he told that "Our fathers had laid the foundations of our relations with African countries. They had even built the ground floor. But we neglected it. My job is not only to repair the house but build the first storey for the new generation to live in."
Subsequently, Manmohon Singh also visited Egypt in 15th NAM meeting in Sharm-al- Sheikh, Egypt. In this conference, India also focused on other countries like France and Pakistan in this platform. Although in 2008, President Hosni Mubarak was conferred the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding. Mubarak was honoured for his unique role in providing stability and progress to his country, in upholding the Arab cause, in promoting peace and understanding in the region. The Award is being given away annually since 1965 for outstanding contribution to the promotion of international understanding, goodwill and friendship among peoples of the world.
Journalist Vinod Mehta opined that Mubarak was not much fond of India. In this context, he mentioned that in the early ‘80s, Indira Gandhi hosted a banquet for non-aligned leaders in New York. Whether by accident or by design, Mubarak was denied a seat at the high table. Later, When the BJP was in power, prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. refused to take a telephone call from Mubarak. Apparently, the president wanted to give some advice on Kashmir. In 1995, India gave Hosni Mubarak the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for promoting international understanding. He accepted the award but refused to come to Delhi personally, as all previous winners had done, to receive it. India dug its heels in and Mubarak could not receive it without physical presence. Thirteen years later, in 2008, Mubarak made the trip to India to be honoured by then President Pratibha Patil.
After the downfall of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, The President of Egypt Mohamed Morsi visited India from 18th March, 2013 to 20th March, 2013 accompanying his senior ministers as well as business delegation. Both the sides discussed bilateral defence ties and measures to enhance cooperation, including through the forthcoming Joint Defence Committee meeting scheduled to take place in Delhi in April, 2013. They also exchanged views on a wide range of issues of bilateral, regional and international interest including those relating to the situation in the Middle East and North Africa region; the Non-Aligned Movement; and the reform of the United Nations. In this visit, MOU on cooperation in Information and Communication Technology, MOU on Cooperation in the area of Cyber Security, MOU for cooperation in the field of Micro abd small enterprise, MOU for cooperation in the field of promotion, protection and Management of Cultural Heritage and agreement between Government of Egypt and the government of India for upgradation of vocation training centre in Cairo were some of the important outcomes.
Later, in 2015, the External Affairs Minister in India Sushma Swaraj visited Egypt to explore new vistas being opened in bilateral ties with particular focus on boosting trade and investment. The trade between India and Egypt during the financial year from April, 2014 to March, 2015 has been recorded at $4.76 billion. Apart from this, there has been an upsurge in terror attacks in Egypt since the ouster of former President Mohammed Morsi and the subsequent crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood. India too announced a strategic partnership with the UAE, China and several Western nations to build a bulwark against terror. Cairo too faces threat from terror outfits that support the Islamic State (IS) and have a presence in neighbouring Libya. While External Affairs Ministry officials described the visit as an attempt to renew civilisational ties and in the absence of renewed engagement, old ties had stagnated over time.
In this context, especially after the COVID pandemic issue, both the leaders of Egypt and India highlighted the mutual relations in the field like investment and medical issues. In addition to this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi that India would provide all possible support to ensure availability of pharmaceutical supplies to Egypt during these difficult times. The two leaders also discussed the evolving global situation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and exchanged information about the steps being taken by their governments to protect their populations. They agreed on the utility of continuous exchange of experiences and best-practices, in order to learn from each other.
Conclusion:
The bilateral relations between India and Egypt had different shades over the period of time. After Indian independence, when NAM was initiated to provide an alternative platform for the third world countries, the bilateral relations have received an ideological dimension backed by national interest. After the demise of Nasser, when Sadat went for peace negotiation with Israel, the Middle East regional politics got a separate dimension, following which Egypt was excluded from Arab League. The regional power image of Egypt received a setback after this. Subsequently, when Mubarak came to power, he developed a fresh link in the Middle East but, the bilateral relations between India and Egypt remained much stagnated apart from some irregular visits by the leaders. Under the initiative of former Prime Minister of India, I.K.Gujral this bilateral relation got a different perspective. If the ties have been nurtured properly, Egypt could have been a gateway to Africa as well. In this context, the image of India in the world politics is significant.
It is noteworthy to mention that in the contemporary politics, the ideological disposition has taken a back seat and, the bilateral relations have been more issue based. Presently, India is maintaining a good relation with both Egypt and Israel. Mubarak eagerly sought India's help to contain radical Islam in the domestic front with special reference to Muslim Brotherhood. Surprisingly, when Morsi from Muslim Brotherhood came to power, even in his short span of time, he tried to revive ties with India.
The future of the bilateral relations has got a new dimension after COVID pandemic, where both the counterparts have stressed on the medical issues. In this context, the scope of pharmaceutical companies has a fair chance to get a wider economic opportunity.
