As India Looks Forward To Strengthen Ties With Africa, Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande Heads To Egypt For A High-Level Dialogue

As India strives to bolster its ties with African nations, the Indian Army Chief, General Manoj Pande, embarks on a visit to Egypt on 16 and 17 May 2023 to further strengthen Indo-Egyptian defense relations.

The Army Chief will meet senior Egyptian military leadership including Commander-in-Chief, Minister of Defence and Military Production, and Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces where he will discuss ways to improve India-Egypt defence relations.

General Pande will also tour different establishments of the Egyptian Armed Forces to engage in discussions on topics of common interest.

According to a statement by the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD), "the visit of the COAS will further deepen the bilateral relationships between the two Armies and act as a catalyst for closer coordination and cooperation between the two countries on a host of strategic issues".

It added, the relations of India and Egypt are growing stronger as evidenced by the first appearance of the Egyptian Armed Forces during India's 74th Republic Day parade. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was also present as the Chief Guest during the event.

Moreover, Indian and Egyptian Army's concluded their first-ever military exercise called 'Ex Cylone-1' in January this year.

In the wake of the successful AFINDEX conclusion, a high-level Army Chief conclave took place, where the Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh was also present. During this gathering, Defense Minister Singh reiterated India's commitment to becoming a trusted supplier of weaponry to African nations, solidifying its position as a reliable exporter.