With our correspondent in Bangalore, Como Bastin
After Washington, Narendra Modi landed this Saturday in Cairo for a new state visit. It’s been twenty-seven years since the Prime Minister of India has been there. In the program: meetings with the Indian diaspora, the Grand Mufti of Egypt in the historic Al-Hakim mosque, Prime Minister and President al-Sissi.
Very close to the time of the non-aligned movement, Nehru and Nasser, India and Egypt wanted to relaunch their commercial and diplomatic relations. This visit followed al-Sissi’s visit to India, during a national holiday, in January.
Egypt wants to integrate the BRIC
On the Egyptian side, we especially look forward to India’s support in joining the BRICS economic club that brings together Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. India could support this candidacy, worrying about Pakistan, its sworn enemy backed by China.
India is looking to strengthen its presence in Egypt, North Africa’s leading economy, particularly in the infrastructure, energy and agri-food sectors. Since the war in Ukraine, India has been a supplier of grain to Egypt.
Also readIn Washington, Modi and Biden touted new US-India ties
