India and Ethiopia on Tuesday formally enhanced their relationship to a strategic partnership, a move Prime Minister Narendra Modi said would inject “new energy, new speed and new depth” into bilateral ties.
The decision was announced after talks between PM Modi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali in Addis Ababa during the second leg of the Indian leader’s three-nation tour.
“Today, we are elevating India–Ethiopia relations to a strategic partnership. This step will provide our relations with new energy, new speed and new depth,” PM Modi said in his remarks following the meeting.
Describing the two countries as long-standing partners, PM Modi said India and Ethiopia share civilisational links stretching back thousands of years. He noted that both nations, marked by linguistic and cultural diversity, are democratic powers committed to peace and the welfare of humanity.
“We are co-passengers and partners of the Global South. On international platforms, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder,” PM Modi said, highlighting Ethiopia’s central role in African diplomacy as host of the African Union headquarters. He also recalled India’s role in securing the African Union’s permanent membership of the G20 in 2023, calling it a reflection of a shared vision for an inclusive world order.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed welcomed the elevation of ties, citing Ethiopia’s strong economic performance and growing investment links with India. He said Ethiopia recorded GDP growth of 9.2% last year and expects growth of 10.3% this year, alongside a sharp rise in foreign direct investment.
“India is a leading source of FDI for Ethiopia. More than 615 Indian companies are investing here. This gives our cooperation a strong foundation of trust,” Abiy said, adding that upgrading the historic relationship to a strategic partnership was “the right decision.”
The two sides also exchanged several memoranda of understanding to deepen cooperation across key sectors.
PM Modi was accorded a warm and ceremonial welcome on his arrival in the Ethiopian capital earlier in the day. Abiy personally received him at Addis Ababa airport and accompanied him to his hotel. In an unscheduled gesture, the Ethiopian leader also took PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, a move seen as underscoring the personal warmth between the two leaders.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said PM Modi was given a “warm and colourful welcome” on his maiden bilateral visit to Ethiopia, describing the country as a key partner for India in the Global South and a fellow BRICS member.
This is PM Modi’s first visit to Ethiopia as prime minister and is being viewed as a signal of India’s renewed push to deepen South-South cooperation and strengthen its strategic engagement with Africa.
