Chandigarh, February 25 Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu has been appointed as a member of the 'India-Egypt Parliamentary Friendship Group' formed by the Union government to strengthen bilateral and parliamentary ties between the two countries.
Sandhu's nomination to the group was conveyed through an official communication issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, a statement said on Wednesday.
The parliamentary group has been constituted for the period of the 18th Lok Sabha.
Expressing gratitude to the Union government for entrusting him with the responsibility, Sandhu said, "I am truly honored to be appointed as a member of the India-Egypt Parliamentary Friendship Group.”
He said that both countries, two of the world's oldest civilizations, have enjoyed a history of close contact from ancient times.
“Egypt has traditionally been one of India's most important trading partners in the African continent. India-Egypt diplomatic ties, focusing on defence, trade, energy, and technology, reached a 'Strategic Partnership' level during PM Narendra Modi's historic state visit in June 2023, the first by an Indian PM since 1997,” he said.
On the economic front, the current trade volume between India and Egypt stands at around USD 6 billion, which is expected to double in the coming years as considerable untapped potential lies in sectors such as manufacturing, infrastructure, agriculture, and digital technology, Sandhu added.
Indian investments in Egypt are currently estimated at around USD 5 billion, and as both governments are exploring major developmental projects to further deepen bilateral economic cooperation, this group will play a significant role in strengthening bilateral ties and people-to-people relations between both countries, he said.