Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited his Ethiopian counterpart, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, to attend the AI Impact Summit and the BRICS Summit, both of which India will host in 2026, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday.
Briefing the media on the Prime Minister’s visit to Ethiopia, MEA Secretary (Economic Relations) Sudhakar Dalela said India will assume the chairship of the BRICS grouping for a one-year period beginning January 1, 2026.
The invitation to the two major summits reflects India’s intent to deepen multilateral and strategic cooperation with Ethiopia.
As part of his official engagements, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to address a joint session of the Ethiopian Parliament, marking a significant milestone in bilateral parliamentary relations.
He will also hold interactions with the Speaker of the Ethiopian Parliament and several senior Ethiopian leaders.
The Prime Minister’s itinerary includes a visit to the Adwa Museum and the Adwa Victory Memorial, where he will pay homage, underlining the shared respect for history and cultural heritage between the two nations.
Prime Minister Modi arrived in Ethiopia on Tuesday to a warm and enthusiastic welcome.
In a special gesture reflecting the close personal rapport between the two leaders, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed personally drove PM Modi to the National Science Museum and Friendship Park in Addis Ababa.
Later, the Indian Prime Minister received a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace, where he inspected the Guard of Honour.
The two leaders subsequently held detailed bilateral discussions covering political cooperation, economic engagement and the future roadmap of the India–Ethiopia strategic partnership.
According to the MEA, Prime Minister Modi thanked Prime Minister Abiy for Ethiopia’s strong and consistent support to India in the fight against terrorism in all its forms.
The two leaders also witnessed the exchange of several Memoranda of Understanding across key sectors.
These included agreements on customs cooperation, enhanced training for United Nations peacekeeping missions, and the establishment of a data centre at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
India and Ethiopia also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on debt restructuring under the G20 Common Framework, signalling closer coordination on economic and financial matters.
Cooperation in education received a major boost, with a decision to double the number of scholarships for Ethiopian students under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations programme.
India will also offer specialised short-term courses in Artificial Intelligence under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation initiative.
In the healthcare sector, India is committed to supporting capacity enhancement at the Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Addis Ababa, with a focus on strengthening maternal and neonatal care services.
The MEA highlighted the elevation of India–Ethiopia relations to a Strategic Partnership as a major outcome of the visit.
During the visit, Ethiopia conferred its highest civilian honour, the Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia, on Prime Minister Modi, who expressed deep gratitude to the government and people of the country.
Also Read: PM Modi Calls Vande Mataram Rendition In Ethiopia A Deeply Moving Moment
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