Egyptian senate affirms solidarity with India in fight against terrorism
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Cairo: A high-level multi-party Indian delegation, led by Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) leader Supriya Sule, held extensive discussions with prominent members of the Egyptian Senate in Cairo on Monday, reaffirming India’s resolute stand against terrorism and strengthening bilateral ties between India and Egypt.
The delegation met with Senator Hossam Al-Khouly of the Mostaqbal Watan Party, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Hazem Omar, and other committee chairpersons and members. The Egyptian Senate conveyed its strong solidarity with India in the global fight against terrorism and reiterated its commitment to the deep-rooted strategic partnership shared by the two nations.
The Indian delegation’s visit to Egypt is part of a larger diplomatic initiative under “Operation Sindoor,” aimed at conveying India’s zero-tolerance policy on terrorism following the deadly April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Upon arrival, the delegation was welcomed by Indian Ambassador to Egypt Suresh Reddy.
The multi-party group includes a broad spectrum of political leaders: BJP members Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Anurag Thakur, and V. Muraleedharan; Congress leaders Manish Tewari and Anand Sharma; Telugu Desam Party's Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu; Aam Aadmi Party leader Vikramjeet Singh Sawhney; and former diplomat Syed Akbaruddin. Their schedule in Egypt comprises high-level ministerial and parliamentary meetings, policy dialogues with think tanks, media interactions, and community engagements.
The Indian Embassy in Cairo announced that the delegation will hold discussions with the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs (ECFA) and meet with Badr Abdelatty, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. They are also slated to meet Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary General of the League of Arab States. The delegation’s itinerary includes a floral tribute at the bust of Mahatma Gandhi in El-Horreya Park, a visit to the Heliopolis War Memorial, and meetings with Indian expatriates and Egyptian policymakers, including scholars, journalists, and strategic analysts.
The Indian mission underlined that the visit signifies India’s enduring commitment to global cooperation in countering terrorism and promoting shared democratic values with Egypt and the wider Arab world.
The Egypt leg of the visit follows a successful stop in Ethiopia on Sunday evening, where the delegation engaged in meaningful discussions with Ethiopian leaders, members of the media, academia, civil society, and the Indian community.
During the interactions, the Indian delegation conveyed India’s unified and uncompromising stance on terrorism. They briefed Ethiopian officials about the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s proportionate and targeted response through Operation Sindoor, which they said underscored India's efforts to counter terrorism without provoking further escalation.
The Indian representatives stressed the urgent need to identify and deal decisively with all forms of terrorism and those who support, finance, or offer moral endorsement. They reiterated that India has begun systematically dismantling the long-standing infrastructure of cross-border terrorism developed against the country.
The Ethiopian leadership reciprocated with a firm declaration of its own zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and expressed strong solidarity with India. The Indian delegation extended its gratitude for the support shown by Ethiopian officials following the Pahalgam incident.
Addressing the Indian diaspora in Ethiopia, delegation members praised their role in promoting India’s core values of tolerance, pluralism, and national unity, while resisting attempts to disrupt the country’s social cohesion. Many Ethiopian nationals, educated in India and now serving in key public positions, voiced their support for India’s counter-terrorism efforts and affirmed their solidarity.
The Indian delegation’s visit to Egypt marks a significant continuation of New Delhi’s strategic diplomatic efforts to mobilise international consensus against cross-border terrorism, particularly the kind originating from Pakistan.
With IANS inputs
