Defence Relations
1. Egypt and India enjoy cordial defence relations. There was close cooperation between the Air Forces, with joint development of a fighter aircraft in 1960s. IAF pilots also trained Egyptian pilots from 1960s until 1984. Since 2015, there have been several high-level exchange of visits by defense delegations including the visit of the Minister of Defense of Egypt, General Sedki Sobhi, in 2017 and the visit of Minister of Defense of Indian, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, in 2018. During 2020, there was a lull due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. However, since June 2021, more than 15 defence delegations have visited Egypt, including Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, from 28th November to 2nd December 2021. He attended the Egypt Air Power Symposium and delivered a keynote address on 'Strategic Air Intelligence in confronting new and non-organized threats. Subsequently, he visited the Egyptian Defence Exposition (EDEX). Reciprocally, Air Marshal Mohamed Abbas Helmy, Commander-in-Chief of Egyptian Air Force visited India from 04-07 July 2022. In addition to having discussions with CAS, he also called on COAS, CNS and Defence Secretary to further mutual cooperation. The EAF Chief also visited HAL at Bengaluru, Software Development Institute and Aircraft Systems and Testing Establishment (ASTE). After a gap of several years, Ministerial visits resumed in latter half of 2022, with Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh visiting Cairo from 18-21 Sep 2022. RM called on President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and his counterpart General Mohamed Zaki. Substantive discussions on various aspects of Defense cooperation and ways to further enhance mutual exchanges were held during the meetings. An MoU on Defense Cooperation was signed on 19 Nov 2022 by both the Defense Ministers.
2. Most of the current defense cooperation is determined by Joint Defense Committee (JDC) activities. JDC meetings have been held alternately in either country, followed by exchange activities. In addition, the following activities also contribute to defense cooperation:-
(a) Courses: DSSC and NDC courses are offered on a regular basis, in which Egyptian officers are given training in India and Indian defense officers train in Egypt. Delegations from NDC, War Colleges and CDM also undertake study tours on a regular basis to Egypt.
(b) Exercises: Egypt participated in the Multinational Training Exercise for friendly African countries held at Pune in March 2019. The first ever IAF-EAF Joint Tactical Air Exercise, Dessert Warrior, was held in Egypt from 29-31 October 2021. Two officers from Egyptian Navy participated in Multilateral Indian Naval Exercise MILAN-2022 held from 25 Feb-04 Mar 2022. For the first time, Indian Air Force participated in Tactical Leadership Program of Egyptian Air Force Weapons School from 23 Jun – 22 July 2022. The first joint exercise between Special Forces of India and Egypt titled ‘Exercise Cyclone’ was held in 14-27 Jan 2023 in India.
(c) Ship Transits: Indian Navy Ships undertake port calls at Egyptian ports. INS TABAR (a Talwar class guided missile frigate) made a port call in Alexandria port in late-June 2021 and again in September 2021 during its return journey to India. Ships of First Training Squadron of Indian Navy (IN Ships Tir, Sujata and CGS Sarathi) called on the Red Sea Naval port of Safaga, Egypt in May 2022 as part of their five nation Overseas Deployment. Further, INS Tarangini called on at Alexandria Naval base in May 2022 and INS Kochi visited Port Safaga in late-Jun 2022 with Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet onboard. In July 2022, INS Tarkash made a port call at Alexandria. INS Tarangini executed a port call at Port Said in the month of Oct 2022 during its return journey to India. INS SUMITRA made a port call at Safaga on 31 Dec 2022- 3 Jan 2023.
(d) Aircraft Transits: Egypt regularly provides transit facilities to IAF and IN aircraft ferrying to/ from Russia, Europe and the USA. During Covid-19 pandemic and recent rescue operations carried out by India in earthquake-hit Turkey and Syria, Egyptian authorities provided exceptional support and facilitated transit of Indian Air Force aircraft even at short notice.
(e) Defence Exhibitions: Indian DPSUs as well as some private firms participated in the first Tri Services Defence Exhibition (EDEX-2018) organized by Egyptian Armed Forces in Cairo in December 2018. Subsequently, high-level delegations from Egypt have attended Aero India 2019 at Bangalore in February 2019 and DEFEXPO INDIA 2020 in Lucknow in February 2020. 2nd edition of Egyptian Defence Exhibition EDEX-2021 was held at Cairo in November/December 2021. 10 Indian companies and institutions, including DRDO and Defence PSUs such as HAL, BDL, BEML and Munitions India Ltd. participated in EDEX and showcased their state-of-art products. DEFEXPO-2022 was organised in Gujarat in from 18-22 October 2022 and Egyptian delegation was led by Air Vice Marshal rank officer from Egyptian Air Force.
3. The close bonds between the defense establishments of India and Egypt was also evident when the entire Egyptian military leadership responded immediately, with condolence messages, to the tragic demise of CDS, Gen Bipin Rawat.
Defence Team at the Embassy:
Group Captain Udayan Kumar, VM, Defence Attaché
Telefax: 2735-7374
