Event

High-level deliberations between India MSDE & Egyptian Ministry of Technical Education at Kaushal Bhawan New Delhi (28 April 2025)

Egyptian Delegation Lead

H.E. Prof. Dr. Ayman Bahaa El Din, Deputy Minister of Technical Education

Facilitating Agencies

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), India & Egypt offices in collaboration with MSDE

India Representation

Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE)

Bilateral Context

Builds on 2023 Strategic Partnership between India & Egypt & Egypt conferring of highest civilian honour on PM Narendra Modi

India Vision

To become Skill Capital of World through Skill India Mission & global vocational alignment

Achievements under Skill India

400,000+ trained in advanced areas (AI, robotics, big data)
1.3 million+ entrepreneurs nurtured

India Skill Infrastructure

Skill India International Centres as global skilling hubs
Emphasis on TVET ecosystem alignment with international standards

Egypt TVET Ecosystem

EU-supported TVET Egypt Reform Programme
Formation of Sector Skill Councils echoing India scalable & inclusive skilling model

Proposed Collaborative Avenues

Joint certification programmes
Faculty & student exchanges
Digital skilling initiatives
Entrepreneurship development

Centres of Excellence

Potential for collaboration in IT, agriculture, green skills & tourism sectors

Broader Diplomatic Goals

Strengthening South-South & triangular cooperation as a template for global skill diplomacy & workforce mobility

Global Alignment Focus

Commitment to build a globally competitive, future-ready workforce through bilateral & multilateral cooperation

Geographical Location

Northeastern Africa; borders Mediterranean Sea (north) & Red Sea (east). Bordered by Libya (west), Sudan (south) & Israel/Gaza (east).

Geographic Features

Dominated by Nile River (longest in world)
Sahara Desert covers most land
Sinai Peninsula is Egypt only Asian territory

Capital City

Cairo Africa’s largest city; cultural, political & economic hub

Historical Periods

Pharaonic Era (c. 3100 BCE – 332 BCE)
Ptolemaic Greek Period (332 BCE – 30 BCE)
Roman & Byzantine Egypt (30 BCE – 641 CE)

Islamic Caliphates (from 641 CE)
Ottoman Rule (1517–1798)
British Protectorate (1882–1952)
Republic established in 1953

Major Rivers/Lakes

Nile River Delta (fertile triangular region in north)
Lake Nasser (formed by Aswan High Dam)

Climate

Arid desert climate
Hot, dry summers & mild winters
Rainfall rare, mostly in Mediterranean coast areas

Ancient Architecture

Pyramids of Giza: Only surviving Ancient Wonder of World
Karnak & Luxor Temples
Valley of Kings
Sphinx

Islamic Architecture

Al-Azhar Mosque & University (founded 970 CE)
Citadel of Cairo (12th century)
Mamluk & Ottoman minarets in Old Cairo

UNESCO Heritage Sites

Historic Cairo
Memphis & its Necropolis (Giza, Saqqara)

Abu Simbel Temples
St. Catherine’s Monastery (Sinai)

Cultural Highlights

Language Arabic
Religion Predominantly Sunni Islam
Rich traditions in music, dance (Raqs Sharqi), literature

Modern Economy

Key sectors Tourism, petroleum, natural gas, agriculture, Suez Canal revenues
Also growing in textiles & construction

Suez Canal Importance

Connects Mediterranean Sea to Red Sea; a critical global maritime chokepoint generating ~$9 billion annually

Natural Resources

Oil, natural gas, phosphates, iron ore & limestone

Environmental Concerns

Water scarcity due to Nile dependence
Desertification, salinization of arable land
Urban sprawl & air pollution in Cairo

Population Highlights

Over 110 million people (2025 est.)
Major urban centres Cairo, Alexandria, Giza
High population growth rate

Education Institutions

Cairo University, Al-Azhar University, American University in Cairo (AUC)

Strategic Significance

Link between Africa & Middle East
Member of African Union, Arab League & Non-Aligned Movement

Historical Ties

Civilizational links trace back to Indus Valley & Pharaonic Egypt through trade via Red Sea
Cultural exchanges via Greco-Roman & Arab worlds

Non-Aligned Movement

Jawaharlal Nehru & Gamal Abdel Nasser were co-founders of NAM in 1961
Shared values of anti-colonialism & strategic autonomy

Diplomatic Relations

Established in 1947
India has an embassy in Cairo; Egypt has one in New Delhi & a consulate in Mumbai

High-Level Visits

PM Modi visited Egypt in 2023 awarded Order of Nile
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was Chief Guest for Republic Day 2023

Defence Cooperation

Joint military exercises (e.g Ex Cyclone-I)
Naval ship visits & port calls in Alexandria & Mumbai
Defence MoUs signed

Counterterrorism

Regular dialogue on counter-radicalization, intelligence sharing & combating extremism

Trade & Economy

Bilateral trade crossed $7.2 billion in 2022–23
Key exports petroleum, chemicals, machinery, cereals
India among top investors in Egypt

Energy Partnership

India invests in oil exploration & fertilizers (e.g. TCI Sanmar Group, Alexandria Carbon Black)
Collaboration on green hydrogen initiatives

Agriculture & Water

Knowledge exchange on irrigation tech, desert farming & climate-resilient agriculture

Education & Research

Over 300 Egyptian students study in India annually
Cooperation between institutions like IITs, IIMs & Al-Azhar University

Cultural Exchange

Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) renewed regularly
Indian films, yoga & dance have a strong following
Indian festivals celebrated in Cairo

Diaspora

Around 3,200 Indians live in Egypt, mainly in Cairo & Alexandria
Employed in IT, oil, banking & academia

Multilateral Cooperation

Shared platforms NAM, G77, WTO, UN, AU-India Summits
Support on UNSC reforms & South-South Cooperation

Health & Pharma

India supplied COVID-19 vaccines to Egypt under Vaccine Maitri
Egypt sources generic medicines from Indian pharma companies

Space Cooperation

Discussions underway via ISRO–EgSA (Egyptian Space Agency)
Potential collaboration on remote sensing & climate satellites

Technology & Startups

Emerging interest in fintech, edtech, digital public infrastructure
India offers IT training scholarships under ITEC

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Critically examine potential of India–Egypt defence & maritime cooperation in ensuring Indo-West Asian security.