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Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal will visit Egypt from November 15-16, leading a delegation of more than 130 business leaders and start-ups to explore opportunities for expanding bilateral trade, investment and industrial cooperation between the two countries.
During his two-day visit, Goyal will co-chair the 7th session of the India-Egypt Joint Trade Committee (JTC) with Egypt's Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, Mohamed Farid Saleh, in Cairo on November 15, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said on Saturday. The visit will also include the India-Egypt Joint Business Council meeting and the India-Egypt Business Forum, which will bring together business representatives from both countries to explore opportunities for joint ventures, technology partnerships and greater investment. An India-Egypt Start-up Forum will also be organised to identify new avenues for trade, investment and collaboration between emerging businesses. The JTC meeting, which has been elevated to the ministerial level, will review progress in bilateral trade and investment and discuss ways to diversify and expand the trade basket. The discussions are expected to cover market access issues, non-tariff barriers, trade remedies, agricultural and food products, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, chemicals, fertilisers, textiles, renewable energy, green hydrogen, transport and logistics. The visit comes amid a sharp rise in bilateral trade between the two countries. Merchandise trade stood at USD 5.04 billion during April-September 2026, registering a growth of 64 per cent over the corresponding period of the previous year, according to the ministry. India's exports to Egypt amounted to USD 3.87 billion in FY 2025-26, while imports from the country stood at USD 2.60 billion. Major Indian exports include meat and poultry products, petroleum products, organic chemicals, cotton and machinery, while imports include crude petroleum, fertilisers, cotton and mineral products. Goyal will also hold bilateral meetings with senior Egyptian ministers and interact with representatives of the African Export-Import Bank, the Egyptian Junior Businessmen Association and the Egypt-India Startups Forum. The two sides are expected to explore cooperation in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, industrial development, manufacturing, infrastructure, ports and logistics, as well as regional value chains. The ministry said Goyal's visit is expected to provide fresh momentum to the India-Egypt economic partnership and create new opportunities for businesses in both countries through stronger institutional cooperation, enhanced trade engagement and greater access to regional markets. (ANI)
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