I haven’t been to India before. In spite of the strong links that connect me and lots of Egyptians to India, the Egyptian Indian ties are not just political and economic. There are also cultural and historical ties between the two countries. They have common history of combating imperialism.

I say that on the occasion of the issuance of the Embassy of India in Cairo of a luxurious album entitled "India-Egypt photographic retrospective". It contains a large number of rare photos which express the richness and grandeur of the Egyptian-Indian bilateral ties. Mr. A. Gopinathan, Ambassador of India in Cairo, said that some people believe that with the death of Nehru and Nasser, ties between the two countries have become weak. But the photos appearing on the album represent a witness to the warmth of relations linking the two countries even after the death of the founders of the friendship between those countries. The visit of President Mubarak to India last year stressed this and was the reason behind the issuance of this album.

Many thanks to the Ambassador of India and the Embassy of India in Cairo for the issuance of this great album. Not only does it contain memories of the past, but it also includes an implicit desire for boosting cooperation between the two countries during the coming period especially after India managed to achieve an economic leap that is recognized by the whole world.