India has begun to reboot its relations with Egypt, which is stirring out of the dormancy of the Mubarak-era, and is looking for new friends and allies to fulfill its ambitions of emerging as an independent regional heavyweight.
The External Affairs Minister, S.M. Krishna is leading this effort of exploring the full depth of possibilities of establishing a robust relationship with Egypt.
The context of the visit is significant. Once “soul mates” in the international arena during the Presidency of the late Gamal Abdel Nasser, India-Egypt relations hit a dramatic low with the ascendancy to power of the late Anwar Sadat. The distancing was natural for during the Cold War, India and Egypt were on the opposite side of the ideological fence – Egypt choosing to move closer to the United States and India bonding ever more closely with the former Soviet Union.
But with the fall of former President Hosni Mubarak, and Egypt emerging as a democracy-although, possibly with Islamist characteristics, with the Muslim Brotherhood doing so well in the recent parliamentary elections-a fresh opportunity has arisen to revive Indo-Egyptian ties and roll it along an exciting, unchartered, new path.
“We want to impart new balance to our foreign policy and we are paying utmost importance to the Brazil-Russia-India-China (BRIC) grouping,” said an Egyptian diplomat who did not wish to be named.
The Sunni-Muslim universe
With the Muslim Brotherhood making dramatic gains, Egypt wants to realise its rightful place especially in the Sunni-Muslim universe, analysts say. That means raising the religious and intellectual status of the more than a thousand-year-old Al Azhar University, so that its global standing, and the weight of its pronouncements, grows even higher. Fiercely independent and with a self-belief in leadership, it is likely that as Egypt develops its unique blend of democracy and religion, its Islamist modernisers may find themselves competing for intellectual and political space with countries such as Turkey-equally ambitious in exercising leadership in the region-and Saudi Arabia.
Paradoxically, some members of the Muslim Brotherhood do not anticipate a particularly rough ride in Egypt’s ties with Iran, whose leadership of the Shia Muslims is largely uncontested so far.
It is significant that during his stay, Mr. Krishna will hold a separate meeting with Mohamed Morsy, leader of the Freedom and Justice Party, the electoral face of the Muslim Brotherhood. That will give him a “feel” of the thinking among the Brotherhood’s leaders, most of whom are highly educated, and, within their ranks have a rich bouquet of technocrats and entrepreneurs.
The Muslim Brothers are bound to play a major hand in drafting a new Egyptian constitution as well as the Presidential elections, which will now be held in mid-May. They are also likely to bridge ties between the radical Salafis and young liberals, who had been out in full strength at the iconic Tahrir square during the course of the anti-Mubarak uprising, but did poorly during the polls.
Re-engagement with India
As India and Egypt begin to re-engage, they are starting with bonding in the economic arena. During Mr. Krishna’s stay, Indian and Egyptian technocrats, under the umbrella of a joint commission, will meet to explore opportunities in areas such as Information Technology, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, energy, science and technology as well as trade and commerce. “We are eventually aiming to enter into strategic areas which will be of mutual advantage to both countries,” said a diplomatic source.
More pointed discussions that could impart fresh political direction to the relationship are expected during Mr. Krishna’s talks on Sunday with Field Marshall Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, the head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), the body that provides Egypt its interim leadership. India recently voted controversially on Syria with the Arab countries and the western powers in the Security Council.
Mr.Krishna and Nabil ElAraby, the head of the Arab League, are expected to discuss the volatile regional scenario later on Saturday.
—PTI