India-Egypt IT cooperation talks: DPI, ICT sector engagement on agenda
Synopsis
India is actively pitching its Digital Public Infrastructure model to Egypt, with Ambassador Suresh Reddy holding IT and health talks in Cairo — all following a Modi-Sisi bilateral at the BRICS Summit. The multi-sector diplomatic push signals India's intent to deepen its footprint in the Arab world through technology and institutional partnerships.
Key Takeaways
India's Ambassador Suresh Reddy met Egypt's Communications Minister Dr.
Raafat Hindy in Cairo on 21 September 2026 to discuss IT cooperation.
Talks focused on India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) model, institutional cooperation, and cross-border ICT sector engagement .
On 14 September 2026 , Reddy also met Egypt's Health Minister Dr.
Khaled Abdel Ghaffar to explore cooperation in healthcare and pharmaceuticals .
Egyptian President El-Sisi met PM Modi on 13 September 2026 at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, reaffirming the India-Egypt Strategic Partnership .
Both countries committed to working through BRICS to advance Global South priorities.
India and Egypt held high-level discussions on deepening cooperation in the communications and information technology sector, with India's Ambassador to Egypt, Suresh Reddy, meeting Egypt's Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Dr. Raafat Hindy, in Cairo. The talks, held on 21 September 2026, centred on India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) model and its potential applicability across countries, according to a statement by the Indian Embassy in Egypt.
Key Areas of Discussion
The meeting focused on three core themes: India's track record in building and scaling Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), enhancing institutional cooperation between the two nations, and facilitating greater engagement between ICT sector companies from both countries. India's DPI ecosystem — which encompasses platforms such as Aadhaar, UPI, and the ONDC network — has drawn considerable global interest as a replicable model for developing economies.
India-Egypt Diplomatic Momentum
The IT talks build on a broader wave of bilateral engagement. On 14 September 2026, Ambassador Reddy also met Egypt's Minister of Health and Population, Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, to explore new avenues of cooperation in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. Those discussions covered hospital management, pharmaceutical capacity building, and cooperation in traditional medicine, with both sides underscoring the importance of knowledge-sharing and best-practice exchange.
Modi-Sisi Meeting at BRICS Summit
The flurry of bilateral meetings follows a landmark encounter at the top. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi visited New Delhi on 12–13 September 2026 to attend the 18th BRICS Summit. On the sidelines, he held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 13 September, during which both leaders reviewed the strong momentum in the India-Egypt Strategic Partnership. According to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the discussion covered trade and investment, defence and security, technology, connectivity, and people-to-people exchanges. Both leaders also affirmed that the two countries would continue working closely through BRICS to advance the priorities of the Global South.
Following the summit, Prime Minister Modi posted on X: 'Had a wonderful interaction with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during the BRICS Summit. We talked about various issues, notably regional issues and the India-Egypt friendship that is significantly growing in recent times.'
Why This Matters
India's push to export its DPI architecture is a key pillar of its soft-power and economic diplomacy strategy. Notably, Egypt — as a major Arab world economy and an emerging BRICS member — represents a significant partner for India in Africa and the Middle East. The multi-sector engagement, spanning IT, health, and strategic affairs, signals that the India-Egypt relationship is moving well beyond ceremonial ties into substantive cooperation. How quickly these discussions translate into institutional agreements and cross-border ICT investments will be the real measure of progress.
Point of View
Health, and pharma — all within a week of the Modi-Sisi bilateral — suggests India is executing a deliberate, sector-by-sector diplomatic playbook with Egypt rather than relying on summit optics alone. India's decision to lead with DPI is strategically astute: it offers Egypt a credible, cost-effective alternative to Western or Chinese tech infrastructure, while giving Indian companies a gateway into Africa. The real question is whether these discussions will result in binding institutional frameworks or remain aspirational. Past India-Africa technology partnerships have frequently stalled at the MoU stage; Egypt's BRICS membership may provide the governance scaffolding needed to convert intent into implementation.
NationPress
21 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did India and Egypt discuss in their IT meeting on 21 September 2026?
India and Egypt discussed deepening cooperation in communications and information technology, focusing on India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) model and its applicability across countries. The meeting in Cairo also covered enhancing institutional cooperation and facilitating greater engagement between ICT sector companies from both nations.
What is India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and why is it relevant to Egypt?
India's DPI refers to its nationally built digital platforms — including Aadhaar for identity, UPI for payments, and ONDC for commerce — that have transformed governance and financial inclusion at scale. India has been actively promoting this model internationally as a replicable framework for developing economies, and Egypt, as a major Arab world economy, is seen as a strategic partner for its adoption.
What other bilateral meetings took place between India and Egypt in September 2026?
Alongside the IT meeting on 21 September, India's Ambassador Suresh Reddy met Egypt's Health Minister Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar on 14 September to explore cooperation in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and traditional medicine. Earlier, on 13 September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
What did PM Modi and President El-Sisi agree upon at the BRICS Summit?
The two leaders reviewed the India-Egypt Strategic Partnership and discussed deepening cooperation across trade, investment, defence, security, technology, connectivity, and people-to-people ties. Both leaders also committed to working together through BRICS to advance Global South priorities, according to a Ministry of External Affairs statement.
How does Egypt's BRICS membership affect India-Egypt relations?
Egypt's participation in BRICS provides a multilateral institutional platform through which India and Egypt can coordinate on shared priorities such as digital infrastructure, healthcare, and trade. Both leaders specifically noted their intent to use BRICS as a vehicle for advancing the interests of the Global South.
