Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
In 1956, as British and French troops stormed toward the Suez Canal and Israeli armour rolled across the Sinai, India responded by condemning the Anglo-French-Israeli military action and supporting Egypt’s right to control the canal. Five years later, in 1961, as Indian troops marched to liberate Goa (then a Portuguese colony), Egypt returned the favour by blocking Portuguese reinforcements from passing through the Suez Canal.
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As the two above examples illustrate, New Delhi and Cairo have had strong ties for decades. Both countries, after shaking off the shackles of British rule, were instrumental in setting up the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), which opposed aligning with either the US or the USSR in the course of the Cold War. Today, their partnership remains robust, particularly in trade and defence. This enduring relationship with India could be one reason behind Egypt’s hesitation to join the Mecca Pact.
The Mecca Pact refers to the tripartite collective defence agreement signed between Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia earlier this month on August 7. Right from the get-go, the leaders of what some have termed the Islamic Nato have made no secret of their desire to bring more nations into the fold.
Egypt, which has Africa’s most powerful military, has been identified as the next likely entrant, alongside Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Azerbaijan and Syria. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, described Cairo as a “natural partner” and said only “technical issues” remained before it could join.
On paper, several factors make Egypt an ideal candidate to join the Mecca Pact. It boasts the strongest military force on the African continent, fielding over 4.4 lakh military personnel as well as hundreds of modern tanks and aircraft acquired via US military aid. It also controls the Suez Canal, a vital maritime artery connecting Europe to Asia.
There have been some voices in Cairo favouring Egypt’s inclusion. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said last week that Cairo was “seriously considering” joining the agreement, pending constitutional and legal reviews of the defence obligations it would entail. Yet, thanks to a combination of opposition to Egypt’s entry to the pact from Saudi Arabia, as well as Cairo’s unwillingness to sabotage its ties with countries like India, means that the Islamic Nato remains bereft of Egypt as a member, at least for the time being.
India and Egypt share deep-rooted civilisational ties, dating back at least to the 3rd century BCE. The ties were elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2023. Cairo and New Delhi also have close defence relations, with their militaries engaging in joint exercises. Around 700 Indian companies are registered in Egypt, with 70 of them active and having invested over $5.5 billion.
OPPOSITION IN SAUDI ARABIA TO EGYPT JOINING MECCA PACT
Ironically, even as Turkey is pushing hard for Egypt’s inclusion in the Mecca Pact, Saudi Arabia is far more hesitant.
According to a report in the UK-based news outlet, Middle East Eye, Saudi Arabia, one of the three partners of the Islamic Nato, has opposed Egypt’s entry into the alliance “at least for now”.
Three Saudi sources familiar with the discussions told Middle East Eye stated the Saudi position was driven by a growing frustration with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s government and a belief in Riyadh that Egypt no longer offered the strategic or military value it once did.
According to the Middle East Eye report, Saudi Arabia opposed Egypt joining the Mecca Pact due to simmering tensions with Cairo. Despite providing around $25 billion to shore up Sisi’s government after it took power in 2013, Riyadh has become frustrated by a lack of reciprocal support.
One source cited by Middle East Eye pointed to Egypt’s “minimal and unreliable” role in Yemen (where Riyadh has been battling Iranian-backed Houthi militants since 2015) and its alignment with the UAE.
The UAE is among India’s strongest allies in the Middle East. The UAE and Saudi Arabia are engaged in a strategic, economic and foreign policy rivalry.
A former senior Saudi adviser bluntly stated, “Egypt has always been dependent on us, on the US, and it does not give back, it just takes and takes with no return.”
While Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called Cairo a “natural partner” and pushed for its inclusion, Saudi sources dismissed claims that Egypt voluntarily abstained. The former adviser called that notion “laughable,” adding, “The matter of fact is, Sisi would have been eager to join so he could reap the financial gains of this agreement, as he usually does.”
Middle East Eye further reported that Saudi Arabia viewed Turkey and Pakistan as more reliable partners. The former senior adviser emphasised that “decision makers in the leadership have serious concerns about Sisi’s loyalty,” noting “he is simply seen that he cannot be trusted, and rightly so,” but added, “Maybe in the future, if we see that there is change or improvement.”
EGYPT HAS STRONG ECONOMIC TIES WITH INDIA
Saudi Arabia’s opposition, however, is not the only factor that can explain Egypt’s absence from the Mecca Pact. Cairo’s own foreign policy may also make it wary of joining a bloc that could constrain several of its valued partnerships.
Cairo maintains amicable ties with several countries that the three signatories of the Mecca Pact do not always see eye to eye. This includes Greece and Cyprus (which have longstanding tensions with Turkey), the UAE (which has questioned the true intent of Saudi Arabia joining the Mecca Pact), Israel (with which Egypt has maintained a peace treaty since 1973) and India.
A report by Egyptian outlet Mada Masr, citing diplomats and other sources, suggests that preserving this room for manoeuvre is central to Cairo’s thinking.
A senior Egyptian diplomat told the outlet that Cairo has sought to maintain a “balanced relationship with all parties” and does not want to be drawn into regional alignments that could constrain its foreign policy. The BBC and the Middle East Eye had also cited Mada Masr’s report.
A former Arab diplomat cited by Mada Masr said Egypt was also wary of Turkey’s complicated relations with Greece and Cyprus, as well as Cairo’s growing economic ties with India.
“Egypt will not be joining a defence agreement with Turkey, especially in view of the complex relationship it has with Greece and Cyprus,” the diplomat told the Egyptian outlet. “Equally, it is hard to see Egypt getting involved in a defence agreement with Pakistan, considering that Egypt is in talks to advance economic relations with India.”
WILL EGYPT JOIN THE MECCA PACT? UAE A BIG FACTOR
Cairo also needs to take account its ties with the UAE. Egypt has a defence treaty with the UAE and, according to Middle East Eye, deployed Rafale fighter jets in response to Iranian strikes on the UAE in May. At the same time, Egypt remains heavily dependent on Emirati financial support. It is also reluctant to get involved in Saudi Arabia’s lengthy conflict with the Houthis in Yemen, reported Middle East Eye.
Writing for the London-based think tank, Chatham House, foreign affairs expert, Ahmed Aboudouh, noted that despite Egypt’s close ties with all three countries of the Islamic Nato, Egypt has, for the time, refused to commit due to the desire of its leaders to “embrace non-alignment and avoid military blocs to prevent entrapment”.
“Joining the Mecca Pact could signal that Egypt is choosing sides to the three members’ various geopolitical rivals – which together could be seen as including Iran and the Houthis, Israel, the UAE, Greece, Cyprus and India. This perceived alignment could negatively impact Cairo’s relationships with these actors without delivering a significant pay-off,” wrote Aboudouh.
WILL INDIA TIES PLAY A ROLE IN EGYPT NOT JOINING MECCA PACT?
India adds another layer to this calculation. Indrani Bagchi, CEO of the Delhi-based think tank, Anata Centre, told the BBC that India was “one of the reasons” for Egypt’s decision, but “the last reason”.
She pointed to Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel and its close ties with the UAE, saying Cairo had “avoided joining a group whose member country, Pakistan, does not recognise the existence of Israel and is also anti-India.”
Bagchi added that joining the agreement “would not have had any significant impact on relations with India, but it would not have sent a good message either”.
That consideration carries economic weight. According to the BBC, more than 700 Indian companies are registered in Egypt, with around 70 operating across sectors and total investments of more than 5.5 billion US Dollars. Bilateral trade stood at 6.5 billion US Dollars in 2025-26, while Indian companies employ around 40,000 Egyptians.
For Egypt, therefore, staying out of the Mecca Pact for now could be less about rejecting the pact and more about preserving its strategic flexibility. Joining the Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan Islamic Nato could complicate Cairo’s relationships with India, Israel and the UAE, with which it has fostered valuable partnerships, and force it to take sides in rival regional alignments it has so far sought to balance.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
