Look to strengthen trade, defence, political ties with India, says Egypt Ambassador Kamel Galal

Egypt’s Ambassador to India, Kamel Galal, has emphasized his country’s desire to deepen trade, defence, and political relations with India, highlighting the ancient civilizational bonds between the two countries and the “strategic partnership”. Speaking to Sidhant Sibal in the WION podcast, Ambassador Galal stated, “Egypt and India have always shared this vision of upholding multilateralism, mutual respect, coexistence, partnership, and collaboration—these form the bedrock of our strategic partnership.”

Egypt has invited India to establish a presence in its Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE), leveraging free trade agreements with multiple blocs and nations, while aiming to boost bilateral trade to $12 billion within two years. In June 2023, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Cairo, the two countries upgraded their ties to a comprehensive Strategic Partnership, covering defence, commerce, and technology collaboration.

Egypt, which has played a key role in the Gaza peace process, hosting the Sharm El Sheikh summit recently, is planning to hold a ministerial conference for the rehabilitation reconstruction of Gaza and is “certainly looking forward to Indian participation in this conference”, the ambassador said. The Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit, held on October 13, 2025, in Egypt’s Red Sea resort, focused on implementing the US-brokered Gaza ceasefire and reconstruction plan. India was represented by Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, serving as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s special envoy.

He also discussed Egypt opening the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) and attracting more Indian visitors through simplified visa procedures. The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is the world's largest archaeological museum devoted to one civilization. Covering roughly 500,000 square metres, it showcases over 100,000 artefacts across seven millennia.

Sidhant Sibal: What is your view about the relationship?

Kamel Galal: Before indulging in answering your question, allow me first of all to express my deepest condolences to all the Indian families, victims in the Delhi blast that happened, our heartfelt condolences to them and our best wishes for all the injured people for a speedy recovery from the repercussions of this blast. Regarding our relations, we need to put it into context. We have a strategic partnership that has been signed ever since June 2023 during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Cairo. We are two great ancient civilizations, we have solid foundations for our strategic partnership. It has always been there. Our relationship started over 4700 years ago. We both fought for our independence together, shoulder to shoulder. And then again, we were shoulder to shoulder. We have two visionaries, who, by coincidence, also came in the same year, President of Egypt Sisi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, both of whom were elected in 2014 with a great ambition for the nations. They came during an era where the world, in geopolitics, is facing tremendous challenges. However, Egypt and India have always had this vision of preserving multilateral, mutual respects and coexistence, partnership and collaboration, these are the foundations for our strategic partnership. We offer India specific zones in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE), opening the world to Indian investments. We are also on the verge of signing an agreement on establishing a joint Chamber of Commerce, which also is another leap in the framework of our bilateral relations.

Sidhant Sibal: How do you see cooperation in defence?

Kamel Galal: The defence field is very crucial. It is one of the major elements of our bilateral relationship. So however, it depends on how you tackle it. There's so many verticals that we need to look into. There's the training and the joint training, which is going magnificent, and we are working for, even broadening it and widening it. There is the joint production, which is another component, which is very crucial, and there is a lot of potential here, and also the joint maritime cooperation. This is another very important aspect, because, as you see, there's a lot of challenges, maritime challenges, that are affecting not only the defence field, but it's also affecting the economy. So these are so low hanging fruit, verticals that we can cooperate.

Sidhant Sibal: So how do you see a trade trajectory in the relationship? And as part of the trade trajectory, we know that connectivity is another element. There is focus on the India, Middle East, Europe corridor as well. If you can give the view from Cairo?

Kamel Galal: India has a $4 trillion economy, in Egypt, we are a $400 billion economy. So these two great, magnificent economies, the potential for bilateral trade is much more than the current level. We are thrilled to have achieved five billion US dollars in bilateral trade. But $5 billion is not enough. And our two ministers agreed in March, and even again, the foreign ministers agreed to increase this trade to $12 billion in the coming two years. Still, even the $12 billion in my opinion, does not really match the magnitude and the size of the two economies. However, let's take it one step at a time, and this is a very good objective that we can try to achieve. On connectivity. Well, connectivity is a very important aspect in today's geopolitics. The IMEC corridor is an important initiative. However, Egypt is not yet part of this initiative, though we are eager, see it as a positive initiative. We prefer to look at it from another perspective, which is a network, because today's or tomorrow's trade, and it's all about networks. It cannot, you cannot confine yourself to just a corridor. It's much more. The opportunity is much more. IMEC has not been materialised yet because of the very geopolitical turmoil in the Middle East. And so it is better to look at it from a network perspective, so that it incorporates other interlocutors that can open up the world for this corridor and for increasing trade. Africa is a very important component to this and Egypt could be a hub to open the doors to Africa through the African Free Trade Area. Egypt can also contribute to this corridor, or this project by opening up the greater Arab free trade area, because we have an FTA within the Arab countries. We have a bilateral FTA with the European Union. We have a bilateral FTA with the UK. We have a bilateral FTA with Turkey. We have a bilateral FDA with the Mercosur countries. So in fact, Egypt will not only open its markets to 100 million Egyptians, which is also a vast number, but actually the actual number is around 2.5 billion consumers. So actually, we are opening the door. Egypt can really contribute to this project.

Sidhant Sibal: How can both countries cooperate in counter terrorism?

Kamel Galal: The two countries are already collaborating on counterterrorism, because we see eye to eye on this issue, and we have an extended experience in country and terrorism. We have, for instance, the Al Azhar Observatory in Egypt, which has been established for many years, to counter radicalization. You know, counter terrorism is not only by security means and by military means. It needs a whole holistic approach. It includes social, economic as well as security. So we had this experience. We saw a scourge. We faced terrorism, terrorism in Sinai during 2014, 2015, 2016. And we have implemented this holistic approach, and today we see zero terrorism in Egypt. So it needs a holistic approach and a very prudent and wise manner, instead of just focusing on only military and security.

Sidhant Sibal: Both Egypt and India, part of the BRICS grouping. You became a member of the BRICS grouping recently. How do you see collaboration in the grouping itself? How do you see the future of the grouping as well?

Kamel Galal: Egypt has always been, has always had the feeling that it's a natural member of the BRICS and that is why, even before our membership, we have been collaborating with BRICS and we have been supporting BRICS. Collaborating with BRICS. We have been supporting BRICS, it is a platform that is sort of parallel to the NAM. It is a grouping of the South South cooperation. And this is actually in our DNA, our joint DNA, in Egypt and India, because we were at the forefront, as well as other countries, on the forefront, for establishing the non-aligned movement. And this, this is the crux of the non-aligned movement, which is the developing countries cooperation. As a member of the BRICS, now we have the same agenda, almost identical agenda as India when it comes to collaboration, because it's all about collaboration. It's an important platform for South South cooperation, and we need to even widen it. We need to deepen it, because there's a difference between widening and deepening cooperation. So we see it as a very important developmental tool for cooperation between southern countries.

Sidhant Sibal: Can Egypt help in India's energy security, in facilitating India's energy security?

Kamel Galal:Certainly, Egypt can be an important component in this, especially when we are speaking about the new generation of energy, which is green ammonia and green hydrogen. This is the new wave of energy that is coming. Egypt can play a part.

Sidhant Sibal: Agriculture is another sector of cooperation...

Kamel Galal:We have a great interest in the millet that you have here in India, and we are seeking collaboration in that field. I think that you have a great interest in the citrus and the pomegranate and the grapes from Egypt, and you have important technologies for the soil that is facing drought, and this we have a water issue in Egypt. So I think the potential for collaboration in this field is huge. Also in digitalization of the agriculture sector. You have a good industry in this field, you have in the Irrigation Sector.

Sidhant Sibal: Why should an Indian investor invest in Egypt?

Kamel Galal: We have offered India, specific zone in the Suez Canal Zone, and this is a major incentive, because it's where we're going to give India a specific area where you can bring your own investments in various textile, pharmaceuticals, artificial intelligence, green hydrogen pharmaceuticals, any field. So this is a major incentive, because in this area you can open the world. So this is a major thing in our bilateral relation that can give a huge leap and profitability to Indian investors, and give great profitability to Indian investors.

Sidhant Sibal: If you can talk about the Gaza conflict. Egypt played a key role in hosting the Sharm El Sheikh summit..

Kamel Galal: First, when it comes to India, India is an important international player, and they're important, important players in South Asia. So you're a major power in South Asia, of course. So this is where you come in, because you have certain industries and certain assistance that you can provide to the Palestinian people. As we are preparing to host a ministerial conference for the rehabilitation reconstruction of Gaza, we will be certainly looking forward to Indian participation in this conference where you can provide assistance for the rehabilitation reconstruction of Gaza. Referring to our role in this conflict. Our role has been, has always been, It did not start from the seventh October, It started so many years ago. Ever since the start of the conflict, in general, we have always been taking a very prudent and a very wise position on this very principle. In Egypt, we go by principles. There is a certain DNA for our foreign policy that has been there. By the way, it's not only not contemporary, it has been there for the past 7000 years. So we have been in this part of the world for a very long time, so we saw a lot of changes and this is where our wisdom comes from. The parameters of our foreign policy, and specifically when it comes to the geopolitical region geopolitics, it is based on certain benchmarks. First, it is principles, because principles are simply principles. You cannot you cannot change the principles. You cannot be transactional principles. But this is who you are. This is what you represent, and that is why we are considered as a trusted partner by all the different factions and the different parties in this region. The second component is peace, because having been there for the past 7000 years, we came to understand that war does not change anything. The only way for change is to bring peace, to achieve peace, to bring stability. The third principle is prudence. We should be prudent in how we look at, how we tackle the challenges, and certainly, the fourth principle is partnership. So having said that these four principles govern our foreign policy towards international political situations and even regional political situations. We have been approaching this issue from that perspective, we want to achieve peace and we want to achieve stability for all people in the region. Because what we saw during the past two years, people from countries taking camps. Let's not take camps. Let's take the camp of principles. And taking the camp of principles dictates on us, on our conscience, that we need to work towards peace and towards calming the situation, stopping the killing of the people in Gaza. There was a war machine, and there was a killing machine happening in Gaza. I'm glad that the Trump administration, President Trump administration, stepped in so strongly to help the efforts exerted by Egypt and by our brothers in Qatar. Role of the United States is very crucial in guaranteeing the implementation of the agreement achieved in Sharm El Sheikh.

Sidhant Sibal: How do you plan to get more Indiantourists? You inaugurated the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)..

Kamel Galal: I would call the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) as another Pyramid. And it's going to stand there for so many years, so millennia later, they will consider it as another Pyramid. The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is simply a message to humanity, our gift to humanity. It's a message that there is resilience. It's a message that we all should work for humanity. There is no difference at the end of the day, it is our shared prosperity. There's a place for all of us in this and this has been the message of Egypt for so long, for millennia. So this is what really would encourage the Indian tourists to go to see. You Indians are very cultured, so you prefer even to go to see this culture in the historic monuments. So this message of humanity, this message of resilience, this message of hope, would encourage Indians to go to visit the Grand Egyptian Museum, because it represents all of us. Does not belong to Egypt. It belongs to you. It belongs to all, every, everybody. It belongs to humanity. So this is really the importance of this museum. I think the potential for Indian tourists to go to Egypt is huge. We have helped in all the way. We have simplified all the procedures to encourage Indian tourists to go to Egypt. We now have direct flights between India and Egypt. We have put in place a program for E visas for Indians.