PM Modi Conferred Ethiopia’s Highest Honour as India-Ethiopia Ties Elevated to Strategic Partnership

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred Ethiopia’s highest civilian honour, the Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia, on Tuesday as India and Ethiopia elevated their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership. Modi received the award from Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali at a special ceremony held at the Addis International Convention Centre.

Ethiopia marked the second leg of Modi’s three-nation tour and his first-ever visit to the East African nation. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed personally welcomed Modi at the airport in Addis Ababa and accompanied him to the Science Museum, which highlights Ethiopia’s progress in science and innovation.

During bilateral talks at the National Palace, Modi highlighted the centuries-old contacts and trade links between the two nations, describing India and Ethiopia as “fellow travellers and partners in the Global South.” He noted that both countries are democratic forces committed to peace and global welfare.

Modi also underlined Ethiopia’s significance as the diplomatic hub of Africa, hosting the African Union headquarters, which became a permanent member of the G20 during India’s presidency in 2023. He said elevating ties to a strategic partnership would bring new energy, speed and depth to bilateral relations.

The two leaders discussed cooperation across key areas such as trade, investment, defence, technology, health, food security, digital public infrastructure and capacity building. Modi announced the doubling of ICCR scholarships for Ethiopian students and pledged support through AI training under the ITEC programme.

Several agreements were signed, including MoUs on customs cooperation, data centre establishment, UN peacekeeping training, and debt restructuring under the G20 framework. Modi also announced plans to upgrade the Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Addis Ababa.

Accepting the honour, Modi dedicated it to the people of both nations and expressed gratitude on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, reaffirming India’s commitment to Ethiopia’s development and shared global goals.