India wishes to progress its relationship with Egypt on closer political and security cooperation, deeper economic engagement and wider cultural contacts, President Pranab Mukherjee has said.
"India greatly values its civilisational relationship with Egypt. India considers Egypt to be a major power in the region and a bridge between Asia and Africa," Mukherjee said during his meeting with Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, who had called on him yesterday at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
India and Egypt have a history of working together for peace and development in the world. India is the sixth largest trading partner of Egypt and Egypt's third largest export destination, he said.
Indian investments in Egypt have reached USD 3 billion. These investment flows bring technology, employ almost 35,000 Egyptians and contribute to high export earnings, he further said.
The President said India wishes to progress its relationship with Egypt on the three pillars--closer political and security cooperation, deeper economic engagement and scientific collaboration as well as wider cultural contacts and people to people exchanges, a press release issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan said.
Mukherjee said participation of Egypt in the third India Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) will contribute to the deepening of India's ties with Africa.
The President congratulated the Government of Egypt for the completion of the new Suez Canal in less than a year. He said the development of new industrial zones around the new Suez Canal provides an opportunity to further strengthen economic ties.
He described Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi's visit to India as a landmark event in India-Egypt relations and said this visit will provide the foundation for a new era of partnership between the two countries.
Reciprocating Mukherjee's sentiments, the Egyptian President said his participation in the IAFS was inevitable considering the outstanding relations which bond Africa and India.
"India-Egypt relations are historic, long established and continuing. Egypt is committed to further strengthening of the relations. It welcomes Indian investments and would like to benefit from India's expertise, technologies and experience," the visiting President said.
