India, Egypt explore defence co-production

India and Egypt have decided to increase bilateral training exercises and explore options for joint development and manufacturing of defence equipment, as part of a move to expand defence ties.

This was decided during defence minister Rajnath Singh's meeting with top Egyptian leaders in Cairo on Tuesday and Wednesday. Singh, who is on a three-day official trip to Egypt, met President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and defence minister General Mohamed Zaki, among other top officials.

The leaders also agreed to identify proposals for defence industry partnership, according to defence ministry officials. Talks included exchange of best practices in countering terrorism.


"Both leaders agreed to further develop military cooperation and focus on joint training, defence co-production and maintenance of equipment," the officials said. "They emphasised the need for coproduction and to discuss specific proposals in that regard."

With General Zaki, Singh discussed increasing exchange of personnel for training, particularly in the field of counter insurgency operations.

Singh also invited his Egyptian counterpart to the India-Africa Defence Dialogue and IOR Defence Ministers' Conclave scheduled to be held as part of the upcoming DefExpo in Gandhinagar next month.

"Signing of MoU by the two defence ministers on cooperation in the field of defence was a milestone event during the visit, which will pave the way for enhancing defence cooperation across all sectors of mutual interest," officials said, adding that the ministers also discussed the regional security situation.