Embassy of India Cairo
The ambassador of India A R Ganshyam to Cairo gave a message for the Independence Day as follows :
It gives me immense pleasure to extend warm greetings to all Indians and friends of India in Egypt on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day of India. 77 years ago, India achieved its independence from colonial rule and began to chart a new path, guided by the principles laid out by our founding fathers. As Indians around the world celebrate our Independence Day, it is also a moment to remember and honor the great leaders of our freedom movement, who sacrificed so much for achieving freedom. This is also the day we renew our commitment to building our great nation and ensuring its bright future. India and Egypt, two of the world’s oldest civilizations, have enjoyed a history of close contact from ancient times. In modern times, Mahatma Gandhi and Saad Zaghloul shared common goals on the Independence of their countries. An exceptionally close friendship between President Gamal Abdel Nasser and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru led to a Friendship Treaty between the two countries in 1955, which also played a crucial role in shaping the policy of Non-Alignment, as well as supporting the decolonization in Asian and African regions. Our time-tested friendship, resting on the edifices of trust and mutual respect, as well as shared perception on regional and global issues, has grown from strength to strength in recent times. The visit of President of Egypt, H.E. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to India in January 2023 as Chief Guest of our 74th Republic Day celebration and the reciprocal ‘State Visit’ by our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in June 2023, have revived the Golden Era of India-Egypt bilateral relations. We had the honour to host President Sisi again in September 2023 when he visited India to participate in G20 Leaders’ Summit, following India’s invitation to Egypt as a ‘Guest Country’ during our Presidency of G20. During the landmark visit of Prime Minister Modi to Egypt, President Sisi conferred upon him the highest civilian honor of Egypt – ‘Order of the Nile’. Our leaders also signed an agreement elevating India-Egypt bilateral relationship to ‘Strategic Partnership’ during this visit. Recently, External Affairs Minister of India Dr. S. Jaishankar attended Egypt’s National Day celebration in New Delhi and highlighted that our bilateral engagement has been living up to its new nomenclature with strengthening of ties in all areas, including political, trade & investment, defense and culture, as well as in multilateral platforms. Today, as we strengthen our ties, we are also witnessing substantial increase in our economic engagement with Egypt, with over 55 Indian companies having invested over US$ 3.75 bn in diverse areas and contributing to Egypt’s exports, as well as employment generation. It is heartening to see Indian companies focusing even in niche areas like green hydrogen, which could emerge as a new source of clean energy. There is growing engagement between between our companies in agrobusiness as well, which could help secure food security for our people. On the defence front also, our countries are rapidly expanding the scope and extent of cooperation. The recent sight of Indian and Egyptian Rafales flying over the Pyramids was indeed a testimony to our mutual trust, goodwill and strengthening defense cooperation. There is no doubt that regular bilateral exercises between our armed forces have given our cooperation a strategic depth. I would also like to appreciate the growing popularity of Yoga in Egypt, which was acknowledged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on several occasions, in his speech on the occasion of 10th International Day of Yoga on 21 June 2024 and his monthly ‘Mann ki Baat’ radio programme on 30 June 2024. As Bollywood and Indian cuisine continue to bring our hearts closer, I am sure that Yoga will synchronize our souls and spirits and bring harmony to our countries and the regions. Indian sport of ‘Kabaddi’ has also gaining popularity in Egypt and I am pleased to share with you that ‘India-Egypt Friendship Kabaddi Tournament’ organized by Embassy in association with Egypt Kabaddi Federation witnessed enthusiastic participation by Egyptian players. As the world continues to confront various regional and global challenges threatening food and energy security, freedom of navigation and leading to humanitarian crises, I am confident that our multilateral engagements in G20, BRICS and ‘Voice of Global South’ will facilitate deeper cooperation between India and Egypt to safeguard the interests of Global South, as well as to secure lasting peace and stability. As a young and vibrant democracy, India is today an inspiring symbol of unity in diversity. With GDP of almost US$ 4 trillion, we are also among the world’s fastest growing economies. At the same time, we realize the importance of inclusive and sustainable growth and shared prosperity through concerted efforts. The developmental challenges ahead of India and Egypt are similar in many aspects. While our young and growing population is our greatest strength, they also require us to ensure for them access to healthcare, education and sustainable employment opportunities. I would like to take this opportunity to underscore the unwavering commitment of the Government of India to taking the IndiaEgypt Strategic Partnership forward. I also take this opportunity to convey my best wishes and gratitude to the Government and the friendly people of Egypt for their continued support, cooperation and affection. I also thank and commend the Indian community in Egypt for contributing towards strengthening of ties between India and Egypt. My good wishes to all Indians and friends of India in Egypt.
