Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day bilateral visit to Ethiopia concluded on a remarkably personal note, with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali himself driving the Indian leader to the airport for his departure to Oman. This gesture of warmth mirrored the reception upon PM Modi's arrival in Addis Ababa, where PM Abiy had personally received and driven him to his hotel, underscoring the close personal rapport between the two leaders.
A Visit Marked by Exceptional Warmth and Personal Gestures
The personal farewell in Ethiopia followed a similar display during PM Modi's stop in Jordan, where Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II had taken the wheel. These rare gestures across nations are widely viewed as a testament to India's growing diplomatic stature and the deep trust it shares with key partners in West Asia and the Global South. During the informal drive to the airport, PM Abiy took PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which were not on the official schedule, and briefed him on Ethiopian culture, including its famous coffee traditions.
Strategic Partnership and Concrete Outcomes
The core diplomatic achievement of this maiden bilateral visit was the decision to elevate India-Ethiopia relations to a Strategic Partnership. "This step will provide new energy, new momentum and new depth to our ties," PM Modi stated. The leaders held delegation-level talks covering cooperation in economy, innovation, technology, defence, health, and multilateral forums.
The visit yielded several concrete agreements, including:
- Customised cooperation plans between the two nations.
- Establishment of a data centre at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Enhanced cooperation in UN peacekeeping training.
- An MoU on debt restructuring under the G20 Common Framework.
Educational ties received a boost with the doubling of ICCR scholarships for Ethiopian students and the launch of specialised short-term courses in artificial intelligence under the ITEC programme. India also agreed to assist in upgrading Addis Ababa’s Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, focusing on maternal and neonatal care.
Ethiopia's Highest Civilian Honour and Parliament Address
A major highlight was PM Modi being conferred the 'Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia', the country's highest civilian award, for his contribution to strengthening bilateral relations. Accepting the honour, PM Modi dedicated it to the 1.4 billion people of India and the historic friendship between the two nations. This marked the 28th top foreign state honour conferred on him.
PM Modi also addressed a joint session of the Ethiopian Parliament, becoming the 18th parliament globally to host his address. He spoke about India's democratic journey and emphasised the importance of the India-Ethiopia partnership for the Global South.
From Ethiopia, PM Modi has now travelled to Oman for the final leg of his three-nation tour, where he will hold talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to further strengthen the India-Oman Strategic Partnership.
