Prime Minister Narendra Modi added symbolism to statecraft in Addis Ababa as he and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali planted a sapling under India’s global green campaign, ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’.
The act sent a clear political message: India’s diplomacy now grows roots where it builds partnerships.
The moment followed Prime Minister Modi’s address to a joint session of the Ethiopian Parliament, where he traced the India–Ethiopia relationship across centuries of commerce, culture, and shared struggle.
Speaking in firm and evocative terms, PM Modi said India and Ethiopia share not only a similar climate but a common spirit forged through history.
He recalled ancient maritime links across the Indian Ocean, when merchants traded spices, cotton, coffee, and gold, while exchanging ideas and ways of life.
Ports such as Adulis and Dholera, he noted, functioned as civilisational bridges rather than mere markets.
PM Modi anchored the partnership firmly in modern history as well. He highlighted India’s military support during Ethiopia’s liberation in 1941, when Indian soldiers fought alongside Ethiopian forces.
Formal diplomatic ties followed India’s independence, but people-to-people engagement had already laid the foundation.
Thousands of Indian teachers, he said, shaped generations of Ethiopian students across cities and towns, earning lasting respect and affection.
Ethiopian students, in turn, travelled to India, returned home, and helped build a modern nation.
The Prime Minister underlined how bilateral ties have expanded sharply over the past eleven years. He pointed to more than 100 exchanges of visits at the level of heads of state and government between India and African nations, calling Ethiopia a trusted and strategic partner.
He confirmed India’s role in developing Ethiopia’s foreign ministry data centre, signalling deepening cooperation in digital governance.
PM Modi also projected India’s global leadership during crises. He recalled the COVID-19 pandemic, when India supplied medicines and vaccines to over 150 countries despite domestic constraints.
Ethiopia, he said, received more than four million vaccine doses, reflecting India’s belief in humanitarian responsibility.
Beyond speeches, PM Modi’s visit carried strong visual politics. He laid a wreath at the Adwa Victory Monument, honouring Ethiopia’s 1896 triumph over colonial invasion and its enduring symbolism for Pan-African resistance.
He later toured the Adwa Museum, engaging with Ethiopia’s national narrative of independence and resilience.
The visit itself tellingly broke protocol.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed personally drove PM Modi from the airport. He offered an unscripted tour of Addis Ababa’s Science Museum and Friendship Park.
The gesture signalled warmth and trust rarely seen at this level of diplomacy.
As PM Modi received Ethiopia’s highest civilian honour, the Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia, the message was unmistakable.
India and Ethiopia are no longer distant partners. They are shaping a confident, strategic alliance grounded in history and aimed at the future.
Also Read: From Ancient Seas To Strategic Heights: PM Modi Ignites India-Ethiopia Partnership
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