India and Egypt commenced the fourth edition of the joint special forces exercise Exercise CYCLONE-IV, held at Anshas, Egypt, from April 9 to 17, 2026. A 25-member contingent from the Indian Army's Special Forces departed for Egypt to participate in this annual exercise that reflects the deepening India-Egypt defence cooperation and India's expanding strategic engagement in the West Asia-North Africa region. The exercise focuses on counter-terrorism operations in desert terrain, hostage rescue missions, tactical drills, and exchange of best practices between special forces of both armies. CYCLONE-IV follows the previous editions conducted alternately in India and Egypt and is part of a broader defence framework that includes joint naval and air exercises since India and Egypt elevated ties to a Strategic Partnership during the 2023 visit of President El-Sisi to India as Republic Day chief guest. Separately, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar arrived in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on April 10, 2026 to commence an official visit scheduled from April 11 to 12, 2026. The visit aims to review the robust Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and the UAE, covering trade under CEPA signed in 2022, investment flows, energy security, connectivity projects including the India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), and defence cooperation. Also on April 10, 2026, Union Minister of Ports Sarbananda Sonowal announced that India's major ports have cleared nearly 90 per cent of the cargo backlog resulting from geopolitical disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, underlining India's resilient trade logistics management.