Union Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal arrived in Cairo, Egypt on November 14, 2026, for an official visit aimed at strengthening the India-Egypt Strategic Partnership and deepening bilateral economic relations. The visit, which includes a business delegation of over 130 Indian business leaders and startups, focuses on expanding cooperation in trade, investment, and industrial development between the two nations.
At the beginning of his visit, Minister Goyal paid homage to Indian soldiers at the Heliopolis War Cemetery, where 3,727 of the 4,000 buried or commemorated soldiers were Indian—approximately 2,000 from World War I and 1,700 from World War II. He also engaged with the Indian diaspora in Egypt, highlighting their role as a living bridge between the countries and noting that nearly 70 Indian companies operate in Egypt with investments exceeding $5 billion, generating significant direct and indirect employment for Egyptians.
The core economic relationship features bilateral trade of approximately $6.5 billion, which Minister Goyal described as just the beginning of potential cooperation between the two ancient civilizations. The visit's agenda includes the 7th Session of the India-Egypt Joint Trade Committee, co-chaired by Minister Goyal and Egypt's Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade H.E. Dr. Mohamed Farid Saleh on November 15, 2026. Additional engagements include the India-Egypt Joint Business Council Meeting, India-Egypt Business Forum, bilateral meetings with senior Egyptian ministers, and interactions with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Egyptian Junior Businessmen Association, and Egypt-India Startups Forum.
These platforms are designed to review existing economic cooperation, address trade and investment issues, and identify new avenues for business partnerships while providing fresh impetus to bilateral trade, investment, industrial cooperation, and innovation linkages. The visit builds upon historical, civilizational, and people-to-people ties that have evolved into a multifaceted partnership encompassing political, economic, security, and cultural cooperation under India's current leadership.