CAIRO: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry here on Saturday and the two leaders discussed regional developments and exchanged views on the Ukraine conflict and the Indo-Pacific.
Jaishankar is in Egypt on a two-day visit at the invitation of his Egyptian counterpart Shoukry.
“A warm and productive meeting with FM Sameh Shoukry of Egypt. Reflected our deep-rooted ties as we mark 75 years of diplomatic relations this year,” he said in a tweet.
“As states active in shaping global debates, discussed developments in our regions and exchanged views on Ukraine conflict and Indo-Pacific. A polarised world needs independent thinking and voices of reason,” he said in another tweet.
Jaishankar said India and Egypt’s cooperation in multilateral forums remains robust and welcomed Egyptian participation in G20 next year and in BRICS New Development Bank and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Earlier in the day, Jaishankar paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at the famous Al Horreya Park in the Egyptian capital. Gandhi’s bust was unveiled at the park in 2019 to mark his 150th birth anniversary.
India and Egypt share close political understanding based on a long history of contact and cooperation in bilateral, regional and global issues. Both countries have cooperated closely in multilateral fora and were the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement. The year 2022 is of particular significance since it marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Egypt.
Egypt has traditionally been one of India’s most important trading partners in the African continent. Bilateral trade has expanded rapidly in 2021-22, amounting to 7.26 billion registering a 75 per cent increase compared to FY 2020-21, according to the Indian embassy in Egypt.
—PTI

Press Trust of India