ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 16 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Ethiopia on Tuesday on the second leg of his three-nation tour, aimed at strengthening India’s engagement with key partners in the Global South.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali received Modi at Addis Ababa International Airport and personally drove him to the hotel in an unusual diplomatic gesture. During the drive, Abiy also took Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, stops that were not part of the official itinerary.
Officials said the two leaders held informal discussions during the drive, including a conversation on Ethiopia’s renowned coffee varieties.
“Celebrating age-old India-Ethiopia ties! Prime Minister @narendramodi arrives in Addis Ababa on his maiden bilateral visit to Ethiopia,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a social media post. “In a special gesture, PM @AbiyAhmedAli came to personally receive him at the airport.”
Jaiswal described Ethiopia as a “key partner for India in the Global South” and noted that both countries are members of BRICS.
Modi is scheduled to hold wide-ranging talks with Abiy on bilateral cooperation, covering political, economic and strategic ties. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the visit reflects the “shared commitment of the two nations to advance close ties of friendship and bilateral cooperation.”
During his first visit to Ethiopia, Modi will address a joint session of the Ethiopian Parliament and speak on India’s democratic traditions and its partnership with Africa. He is also expected to meet members of the Indian diaspora.
Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, hosts the headquarters of the African Union, which became a permanent member of the G20 during India’s presidency in 2023.
Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he met King Abdullah II and oversaw the signing of several agreements to deepen bilateral ties. He will travel to Oman next, concluding his three-nation tour.
