• Piyush Goyal arrives in Cairo on an official visit.
• Over 130 Indian business leaders and start-ups join the delegation.
• India-Egypt bilateral trade stands at around US$6.5 billion.
• Joint Trade Committee meeting scheduled for November 15.

GG News Bureau
Cairo, 15th Nov: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has arrived in Cairo for an official visit aimed at strengthening India-Egypt trade ties and expanding cooperation in investment, industry and business.

Goyal arrived in Egypt on November 14. His visit includes high-level discussions with Egyptian ministers, business leaders and financial institutions to explore new opportunities under the India-Egypt Strategic Partnership. A delegation of more than 130 business leaders and start-ups is accompanying him.

The Minister began his visit by paying tribute to Indian soldiers at the Heliopolis War Cemetery in Cairo. Of the 4,000 soldiers buried or commemorated there, 3,727 were Indians. Nearly 2,000 lost their lives during the First World War and around 1,700 during the Second World War.

Goyal also interacted with members of the Indian community at an event organised by the Indian Community Association in Egypt. He described the diaspora as a living bridge between the two countries and acknowledged its contribution to strengthening bilateral relations.

Highlighting the economic partnership, Goyal said bilateral trade of around US$6.5 billion represented only the beginning of the opportunities between the two countries. He noted that nearly 70 Indian companies operate in Egypt, with investments exceeding US$5 billion and generating direct and indirect employment for Egyptians.

The visit will feature the 7th Session of the India-Egypt Joint Trade Committee (JTC), co-chaired by Goyal and Egypt’s Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, Mohamed Farid Saleh, on November 15.

The programme will also include the Joint Business Council meeting and India-Egypt Business Forum. Meetings with senior Egyptian ministers, the African Export-Import Bank, the Egyptian Junior Businessmen Association and the Egypt-India Startups Forum are also scheduled.

The discussions are expected to review existing economic cooperation, address trade and investment issues and identify fresh opportunities for business partnerships, industrial development and innovation.