India shows the way during the first state visit of President Mubarak in a quarter century, says Gamal Nkrumah Slogans and diplomatic niceties do matter, especially in times of global climacteric changes. The conferment of the Jawaharlal Nehru for International Understanding on Mubarak draped in a well-deserved standing as one of the Arab world's most moderate and level-headed leaders in an especially uproarious region was replete with symbolism. "My current visit to India comes to give a new, strong momentum to our historic relations and partnership," President Hosni Mubarak told his Indian hosts. The usual response of an Egyptian to the announcement of the name of an Indian dignitary or distinguished personality that made their name in the international arena is "who?" The exclamation itself is no surprise, for Egypt has long looked westwards. Yet eyebrows were raised both by the timing and the size of Mubarak's entourage. Mrs Suzanne Mubarak accompanied the president to India and so did Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit, Minister of Trade Rachid Mohamed Rachid, Minister of Communications and Information Technology Tarek Kamel and Minister of Information Anas El-Fiqi. The timing is thought-provoking as much as it is curious. India is in a uniquely powerful position on the world stage. It is taking full advantage of the tumbling fall in oil prices. Energy hungry India is worrying less about the world oil supply, at least in the short run. The two countries pledged to quadruple bilateral trade to $10 billion by 2010. Analysts ascribe the more pro-active India policy to the increasing involvement of the private sector and to the capacity of relatively cheap oil prices to stimulate the Indian economy. The country is enjoying galloping growth rates, while inflation is well under control. It is against this rosy backdrop that India intends to invigorate trade with Egypt. As India pushes for an ever freer market, there are concerns that the income gap is widening in the country. The wily controversial notion of economic deregulation in India has attracted much attention from countries like Egypt all too eager to emulate the Indian example. The Indian model is a persuasive one. Yet, India in most Egyptians' minds is still associated with the socialist policies of yesteryear. The vast army of Indian civil servants was not arbitrarily sacked and has been instrumental in shaping the new India to some degree. Egyptian policymakers are eyeing India's bureaucrats as they contemplate how Egypt with its own bulging civil service is conjuring up images of how the new Egypt might look like. Egypt is looking east for answers to its economic challenges. That is no bad thing. Indeed, it is not too late for Egypt to rekindle its historical ties with India. This time round, however, the relationship is bound to be based on an entirely different basis. It is the more self-confident role that is on display through all the improvements of the new India, symbolised best by the successful launching by India of a lunar probe spacecraft. "The agreements that have been signed and the Joint Declaration that has been issued cover many new areas of cooperation including space and health. The establishment of a strategic dialogue at the level of the two foreign ministers reflects our intention to upgrade our relations. We have agreed to work together to combat terrorism and signed an extradition treaty," Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh disclosed at a joint press conference with President Mubarak in New Delhi. "We have agreed to work closely on major challenges like the global financial crisis, energy security, food security, climate change, the reform of international institutions and terrorism," stipulated the Indian premier. "On global issues we agreed that we are faced with a financial crisis of massive proportions. This crisis required that all countries, developed and the developing, move on two fronts. The first is to address the immediate recessionary pressures in the world economy. Related efforts need to be coordinated across nations and aimed in developing countries towards the less privileged in our societies," Mubarak stressed. The President's visit to India comes at a critical historical juncture. For India and Egypt issues of real life now take centre stage. So why does India matter? And, what went wrong? The crux of the matter is that the cementing of ties between the two countries needs more than gestures. The underlying principle, is, after all, a good one. India, in spite of being harshly criticised by some Arab and Muslim countries for consolidating economic and political relations with Israel seems to be biting its tongue and playing a remarkably constructive role in the fight against terrorism. India, of course, has borne the brunt of terrorist attacks over the past few years. Egypt's predicament is the mirror image of India's. The two countries have switched from being state-run economies to embrace economic liberalisation and even though there is still a residue of anti-imperialist sentiment, the two countries are close allies of the West, albeit not unconditionally so. Again, as in economics so in politics: the two countries share much in common. There is truth in that. Both countries face two constraints. First, both seek to find opportunity in relative scarcity. Less ambiguity surrounds Indian democracy. However, political reform is well underway in Egypt. This shift is welcome and essential. India does not dictate, it can only point the way forward. This should not be mistaken for shoving prescriptions down Egyptian throats. It is a country where technocrats rule, and comfortably so. India has long moved beyond celebrity politics. India, of course, seeks a more assertive global role. And, as the Indian experience shows, perseverance pays off. It is well on its way to superpower status. It is this more self-confident role that was on display during the successful state visit of Mubarak.
