India and Egypt agreed to further develop military cooperation and focus on joint training, defence coproduction and maintenance of equipment. This was agreed as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called on Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in Cairo on Monday.
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They emphasised the need for coproduction and to discuss specific proposals in that regard, the Defence Ministry said. Mr. Singh is on a two-day visit to Egypt.
“Privileged to call on the President of Egypt Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in Cairo today. India and Egypt continue to work on enhancing mutual trust and confidence. It was reaffirmed that both the countries are committed to expanding our multi-faceted cooperation,” Mr. Singh said on Twitter.
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Fight against terrorism
Stating that Mr. Singh expressed appreciation for the firm stand taken by Egypt against terrorism, the statement said, “President Sisi emphasised that there is need for India and Egypt to exchange expertise and best practices in countering the threat of terrorism.”
Mr. Singh also visited the Egyptian Air Force Museum in Cairo, the statement said.
The two countries are set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation.
Mr. Singh acknowledged that Egypt is among the most important trading partners of India in Africa and that bilateral trade has expanded significantly, the statement added.
Egypt has expressed interest in acquiring military platforms from India. Among other things, Egypt is considering the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) for its fighter requirement.