Egypt, India Seek Stronger Ties in Startups and Innovative Finance

Egypt and India explore cooperation in startup development, fintech and innovative financing, with plans for a joint startup forum and a 150-company Indian investment delegation to Egypt.

Egypt and India are exploring opportunities to strengthen their strategic partnership through cooperation in innovative financing, digital infrastructure and startup development. Egypt’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Ahmed Rostom, meets Indian Ambassador to Cairo Suresh K. Reddy on November 8, 2026, to discuss ways to expand economic and investment ties while supporting entrepreneurship and innovation in both countries.

During the meeting, Rostom highlights India's experience in developing digital infrastructure, fostering innovation and creating an enabling environment for startups. He emphasises the importance of adopting Indian expertise and innovative financing mechanisms to support Egypt's entrepreneurship ecosystem. He also identifies entrepreneurship as an important driver of sustainable economic growth through job creation, productivity improvements and stronger economic competitiveness.

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Egypt's government is working through its Ministerial Group for Entrepreneurship on an implementation plan to accelerate startup development. The initiative aims to encourage the emergence of new unicorn companies, introduce programmes for students and researchers, and improve access to financing for emerging businesses. The government also seeks to strengthen economic stability and create a favourable investment environment for domestic and international companies.

Reddy highlights India's expanding startup ecosystem, which includes more than 240,000 startups. He identifies Egypt as a strategic regional gateway for Indian companies seeking to expand into African and European markets. The ambassador also stresses the importance of involving financial technology companies and digital solutions providers, including the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), in upcoming investment delegations to Egypt.

As part of the engagement, India is preparing a high-level investment delegation comprising more than 150 major Indian companies to explore business and investment opportunities in Egypt. Indian companies have already invested nearly $5 billion in the country through approximately 55 factories, generating more than 35,000 jobs for Egyptian citizens.

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The discussions also focus on strengthening institutional cooperation. Both sides express interest in establishing a Joint Egyptian-Indian Startup Forum as a permanent platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange and collaboration between entrepreneurs and young professionals. The proposed forum is expected to facilitate partnerships, encourage investment and create opportunities for mutual growth.

Reddy also invites Rostom to visit India and encourages Egyptian participation in NASSCOM's annual conference on developing the startup ecosystem. The engagement aligns India's Vision 2047 with Egypt's Vision 2030, providing a broader framework for expanding bilateral economic cooperation.