Republic Day 2023: Who is India's Chief Guest and How are They Chosen? Explained

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday on a three-day state visit with a focus on enhancing bilateral ties in a range of areas including agriculture, digital domain and trade. “Warm welcome to India, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Your historic visit to India as Chief Guest for our Republic Day celebrations is a matter of immense happiness for all Indians. Look forward to our discussions tomorrow. @AlsisiOfficial," Modi tweeted.

The 68-year-old influential Arab leader will grace the Republic Day celebrations as the chief guest. Sisi is accompanied by a high-level delegation.

The Egyptian president previously visited India in October 2015 to participate in the third India-Africa Forum Summit which was followed by his state visit in September 2016.

This is for the first time that the President of Egypt has been invited as the chief guest to India’s Republic Day celebrations. A military contingent from the Egyptian Army will also participate in the Republic Day parade.

So, How Is India’s R-Day Chief Guest Chosen?

• The government extends an invitation to a head of state or government after carefully considering a number of factors. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) considers a number of factors, the most important of which is the nature of India’s relationship with the country in question, explained a report by Firstpost.
• Other factors include economic, political, and commercial ties, prominence in regional groups, military cooperation, and long-standing ties through organisations such as the Non-Aligned Movement. The selection process for the guest begins about six months before Republic Day.
• The MEA then seeks the Prime Minister’s and President’s approval for the potential guest. If the MEA receives approval, it will begin work. Indian ambassadors in the concerned country attempt to ascertain the availability of the individual in question. This is necessary because the head of state may have other obligations.
• Once this process is completed, the territorial divisions of the MEA work on the talks and agreements, while the Chief of Protocol works on the programme details and logistics.
• Not only that, but other factors such as security, logistics, and medical requirements must also be considered. This is done in collaboration with other departments of the Indian government as well as the governments of the states where the Chief Guest may visit prior to or after Republic Day, the report says.

India-Egypt Ties

India is keen to further expand ties with Egypt, a key player in the politics of both the Arab world as well as Africa. It is also seen as a major gateway to markets in Africa and Europe.

The MEA said the multifaceted relationship between the two countries is based on shared cultural values, commitment to foster economic growth, collaboration in the fields of defence and security and convergence on regional and global issues. The bilateral trade between the two sides has been on an upswing in the last few years.

The bilateral trade between India and Egypt achieved a “record high" of $7.26 billion in 2021-22, according to the MEA. More than 50 Indian companies have invested around $3.15 billion in diverse sectors of the Egyptian economy, including chemicals, energy, textile, garment, agri-business and retail.

All About Sisi

Sisi, who was born in Cairo in 1954, joined the infantry after graduating from the Egyptian Military Academy in 1977, eventually rising to command a mechanised division.

After serving as a military attaché in Saudi Arabia, chief-of-staff and then commander of Egypt’s Northern Military Zone, he was appointed head of Military Intelligence, a report by BBC states.

The then-general rose to prominence in 2011 when he was named a member of Egypt’s Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf), which took over after popular uprising forced longtime President Hosni Mubarak to resign.

General Sisi, a devout Muslim, was reportedly tasked with liaising with the Muslim Brotherhood, an influential Islamist movement that had been outlawed under Mubarak.

Mohammed Morsi, a senior Brotherhood figure, was elected Egypt’s first democratically elected president in June 2012. He appointed Gen Sisi as commander-in-chief of the military and defence minister two months later.

June 30 Revolution

Sisi rose to prominence in Egyptian politics in the summer of 2013, following the emergence of a protest movement known as Tamarrud (“Rebellion"), which demanded that Morsi be removed or replaced through an early election. On June 30, protests against Morsi had reached a scale and intensity not seen since Mubarak’s ouster in February 2011, with some demonstrators chanting for Sisi to do the same. On July 1, Sisi issued an ultimatum to Morsi, demanding that the crisis be resolved within 48 hours or face military intervention. Morsi offered some talks but refused to step down or agree to early elections, so the military deposed him and arrested him on July 3. Adly Mansour, a figurehead president, was installed, but it was clear that Sisi, who retained the title of defence minister, wielded power, states a report by Britannica.

The intervention was condemned by Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood supporters, who accused Sisi of undermining democracy by deposing a freely elected president. Sisi countered that the military had carried out the will of the Egyptian people, as expressed in anti-Morsi protests, and that the Islamist-dominated administration led by Morsi had prioritised the Muslim Brotherhood’s interests over the country’s overall interests. As the Muslim Brotherhood and its allies demonstrated across the country and refused to participate in the transitional process, tensions between the Muslim Brotherhood and the military grew. Meanwhile, Muslim Brotherhood leaders were arrested, and the group’s media outlets were closed down.

On July 8, while the Muslim Brotherhood was protesting outside a military base, security forces opened fire, killing over 50 people. Faced with continued Muslim Brotherhood opposition, Sisi urged Egyptians to rally in support of the military against “violence and terrorism." On July 26, hundreds of thousands of Egyptians took to the streets across the country to show their support. This was followed by a violent crackdown on Morsi and Brotherhood supporters.

Al-Sisi then resigned from the military to run in elections in 2014, which he won. After years of political unrest in Egypt, he stated that he would prioritise economic development.

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