India, Egypt Deepen Defence Ties at 11th Joint Defence Committee Meeting in Cairo

India and Egypt have moved to expand their defence partnership after the 11th Joint Defence Committee meeting held in Cairo from April 20 to 22, 2026, where both sides reviewed ongoing cooperation and agreed on a fresh roadmap for the 2026–27 period. The Indian delegation was led by Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) Amitabh Prasad, while Egyptian defence officials and senior military representatives took part from the host side.

The two countries agreed to push forward a bilateral defence cooperation plan focused on deeper structured military interactions, stronger joint training exchanges, enhanced maritime security cooperation, more complex military exercises, and closer collaboration in defence production and technology. The discussions signalled a continued broadening of the India-Egypt strategic defence relationship beyond routine diplomatic engagement.

A major part of the discussions centred on defence industry cooperation. The Indian side presented the expanding capabilities of India’s defence manufacturing sector, noting that domestic defence production has crossed US$20 billion and that Indian defence exports are now valued at around US$4 billion across more than 100 countries. Both sides agreed to work on a dedicated defence industry cooperation plan, with co-development and co-production emerging as an important pillar of future engagement.

The Cairo meeting also saw the inaugural Navy-to-Navy Staff Talks on the sidelines, underscoring the growing maritime dimension of bilateral ties. During these exchanges, India highlighted the role of the Indian Navy in supporting freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean Region and showcased the contribution of India’s Information Fusion Centre in strengthening maritime security coordination.

In another important engagement, the Indian delegation called on Egyptian Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Amr Abdel Rahman Saqr and thanked the Egyptian Air Force for its close cooperation with India. The delegation also laid a wreath at the Heliopolis War Memorial, paying tribute to Indian soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice during the two World Wars.

The meeting built on the defence cooperation momentum created by the memorandum of understanding signed in September 2022 during the visit of India’s Defence Minister to Egypt. Since then, bilateral ties have been elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2023, and the latest Joint Defence Committee meeting has reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to closer defence engagement and regional security stability.

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Reference: PIB

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