Egypt is positioning itself as a strategic logistics and industrial extension for India into the Mediterranean, with a target of increasing annual bilateral trade from a current USD 5 bn to USD 12 bn in a matter of years, Egyptian Ambassador to India Kamel Galal told Indian business news channel CNBC TV18. Galal stressed how India’s manufacturing scale and service sectors align with Egypt’s strategic geography and resources.

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Traffic has been picking up through the Suez Canal since the Gaza peace agreement was signed in Sharm El Sheikh last month, with transit volumes now 85-90% of pre-2023 levels — helped by multinational naval escorts and AI-monitored drone patrols, Galal said in a separate story from the channel.

But why does this matter for New Delhi and Indian capital? A secure Suez Canal is critical for the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, argued Galal. A predictable Red Sea passage reduces arbitrage loss, stabilizes container schedules, and lowers risk pricing on goods moving from India to the Mediterranean.

Egypt argues its role in the IMEC is irreplaceable given its control of the Suez Canal — which handles 12% of global trade. For Indian exporters, Egypt is signalling that the future play is collaboration and co-production, going beyond traditional commodity trade.

ALSO- Former Tourism Minister Khaled El Enany was formally elected as the director-general of Unesco, following the candidate securing backing from 55 out of 57 member states of Unesco’s executive board last month. El Enany secured 172 votes out of 174 ballots to become the first Arab and second African to lead the organization, the UN body said in a statement.

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