Egypt is looking at extending air services currently from Mumbai to other major metropolitan cities in the country.
Speaking on the sidelines of an interactive session organised by the Merchants' Chamber of Commerce (MCC), Mohamed Higazy, ambassador of Egypt in India, stated that four flights were currently connecting Mumbai and Cairo and the country was in talks to extend services to Kolkata and Delhi, Chennai or Bangalore.
The country was in talks with private carriers, Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways for introducing the services to these cities and a decision could be arrived at, only after the elections.
It would be offering various incentives like tax exemptions along with fuel fees, informed Higazy.
This could further boost tourism between both countries.
In 2008, Egypt had received around one lakh tourists and the country was expecting to double the number this year, added Higazy.
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Both countries could also cooperate in areas of space technology, information technology, biotechnology and alternative energies as new areas for future cooperation.
Promoting tourism, cultural exchanges and education as important areas of cooperation would enhance people-to-people contact thus strenthening ties between both the nations, further added Higazy.
Bilateral trade between both the countries touched $4 billion in 2008.
This apart, Egypt had also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with India for cooperation in the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) sector by providing soft loans and readily available land, he further pointed out.
A number of Indian companies were investing in Egypt like major car manufacturers Ashok Leyland, Mahindra & Mahindra in defence and passenger car segments, respectively. This apart, hospitality major, Oberoi group was also on an expansion mode in Egypt.
Pump manufacturer, Kirloskar, had also signed a $20 million contract with Egypt for installing pumping stations in Egypt for agricultural purposes. The pump manufacturer was also conducting a survey on the irrigation scheme in the Toshka region of Egypt.
Many Indian companies had also acquired textile factories in central Egypt with India being the largest importer of cotton, informed Higazy.
Salikh Inagamov, ambassador of republic of Uzbekistan in India, said that the country was establishing a Uzbekistan-India society as a forum to further ties between both the nations through cultural activities and festivals.
The office would be temporarily located at Golpark area after which it would be shifted to an area in south Kolkata spread across 1,000 square feet.