Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s State visit to Ethiopia on December 16-17 signals India’s diplomatic engagement with Africa, the Global South, and the expanded Brics grouping.
The two-day visit, undertaken at the invitation of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, will be Modi’s first official visit to Ethiopia and his third visit to Africa this year.
It also comes at a time when India is preparing to assume the chairmanship of Brics on January 1, 2026.
The visit forms the second leg of
Modi’s three-nation tour, following his stop in Jordan and preceding his visit to Oman. Indian officials and diplomats have described the Ethiopia leg as strategically important.
Why Modi’s visit to Ethiopia matters
India and Ethiopia share a long history of engagement that predates modern diplomatic relations, with links rooted in trade, education and people-to-people connections.
According to India’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Anil Kumar Rai, the Modi’s visit is particularly notable as no Indian prime minister has travelled to Ethiopia in the past 15 years.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Rai emphasised the depth of the relationship and the importance of the discussions expected during Modi’s stay.
“Both countries are members of Brics. And we are very important partners when it comes to cooperating on international issues, such as UN reforms and regional issues, and also there are agendas which we discuss at the regional level, particularly at the level of Brics. India is going to be the chair of Brics in 2026, with Ethiopia being an important member. So all those issues will come up during the discussions,” Rai told ANI.
The Ministry of External Affairs has said that Modi’s meetings with the Ethiopian prime minister will cover all dimensions of India-Ethiopia ties.
“As partners in the Global South, the visit will be a reiteration of the shared commitment of the two nations to advance close ties of friendship and bilateral cooperation,”
the MEA said in its official statement.
How Brics plays into Modi’s Ethiopia visit
The visit takes place against the backdrop of Ethiopia’s recent entry into Brics, a grouping that has steadily expanded its global footprint.
India is one of the founding members of the forum, which was formalised during the Bric Foreign Ministers’ meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in 2006.
The first Brics summit was held in Russia in 2009, and the grouping became Brics following South Africa’s inclusion in 2010.
Ethiopia officially joined Brics in January 2024 after receiving an invitation in August 2023 during South Africa’s chairmanship. Along with Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran and the United Arab Emirates became full members of the grouping.
Indian officials have indicated that New Delhi played a critical role in supporting Ethiopia’s inclusion, highlighting India’s continuous efforts to amplify African representation within major multilateral forums.
With India set to chair Brics in 2026, discussions during Modi’s visit are expected to touch upon the future direction of the grouping, coordination among member states, and shared positions on international issues such as UN reforms.
Modi’s third Africa visit, what this tells us
Modi’s Ethiopia visit marks his third trip to Africa this year. Earlier this year, the prime minister travelled to Ghana and Namibia, and he also visited South Africa last month.
Modi and his Ethiopian counterpart last met on the sidelines of the Brics summit in Johannesburg in 2023.
During that interaction, the two leaders discussed expanding bilateral cooperation across a wide range of areas, including parliamentary exchanges, development partnerships, capacity building, trade, investment, defence cooperation, information technology, agriculture, youth skilling initiatives and people-to-people links.
Abiy Ahmed has also expressed support for India’s leadership of the Global South.
He participated in the third Voice of the Global South dialogue chaired by Modi in 2024, and in the previous year took part in the inaugural Leaders’ Session at the Second Voice of the Global South Summit.
How India-Ethiopia ties are faring
India is currently Ethiopia’s second-largest trading partner.
According to data from India’s Department of Commerce, total bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $571.52 million during the 2023-24 financial year.
During this period, India’s exports to Ethiopia were valued at $489.59 million, while imports amounted to $81.93 million.
Indian exports primarily include primary and semi-finished iron and steel products, pharmaceuticals, machinery, instruments and metal manufactures.
Imports from Ethiopia into India largely consist of pulses, vegetables and seeds, leather, spices, and precious or semi-precious stones.
Beyond trade, India is among Ethiopia’s top three investment partners. Around 650 Indian companies have licensed investments exceeding $5 billion in Ethiopia, with approximately $3 billion estimated to have been realised on the ground.
Indian investments span a diverse range of sectors, including agriculture and floriculture, cotton and textiles, manufacturing, engineering, plastics, water management and consultancy services.
Ethiopia is also one of the largest recipients of long-term concessional credit from India in Africa.
India has sanctioned more than $1 billion in lines of credit for Ethiopia, supporting projects in sectors such as rural electrification, the sugar industry and railways.
These initiatives are complemented by grants, technical assistance programmes and capacity-building efforts designed in alignment with Ethiopia’s development priorities.
What sectors Modi could highlight in Ethiopia
“All these sectors (education, health, defence, agriculture, and digital technology) are on our agenda for discussion, and in addition, investments from India in Ethiopia, the mining sector, digital public infrastructure, and cybersecurity are the areas,” Rai said.
“This visit is going to discuss the entire gamut of the relationship between both countries. During the visit, both leaders will also review regional and international issues,” he said.
#WATCH | Addis Ababa, Εthiopia: On PM Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to the country, India’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Anil Kumar Rai says, “On the invitation of Dr Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Modi Ji is visiting Ethiopia on the 16th and 17th of December. This visit… pic.twitter.com/7QzfWQSZCu
— ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2025
Agriculture has been highlighted as a particularly important focus area, given its central role in Ethiopia’s economy and livelihoods.
“Agriculture is a very important area because 80 per cent of Ethiopians depend on agriculture for their livelihood. We are going to discuss wide-ranging areas, and I doubt that there is anything which has been left out,” Rai said.
Renewable energy cooperation is expected to feature prominently during the visit, especially through the International Solar Alliance (ISA). The ISA, a joint initiative between India and France, was launched to promote solar energy solutions as part of global climate action.
It was first proposed at the Cop21 summit in Paris in 2015 and later expanded to include all UN member states following amendments to its framework agreement in 2020.
Currently, more than 100 countries have signed the ISA agreement, with over 90 ratifying it as full members. The Alliance aims to mobilise $1 trillion in solar investments by 2030 while reducing technology and financing costs.
India plans to roll out several ISA-backed projects in Ethiopia, ranging from solar rooftop systems and off-grid energy solutions to regional solar connectivity and solar-powered pumps.
“Through the International Solar Alliance, a large number of projects are proposed to be launched in Ethiopia and this ranges from solar rooftops to regional connectivity through solar energy, off-grid connectivity, and solar pumps so that the lives of those people who are not part of the national grid can be provided access to energy and access to energy is also one of the very important elements and a very important anti-poverty measure,” Rai said.
How India-Ethiopia maintain people-to-people ties
People-to-people connections remain a defining feature of India-Ethiopia relations. The Indian community has had a presence in Ethiopia since the late 19th century, with early settlers arriving from Gujarat.
During Ethiopia’s imperial era, tens of thousands of Indian teachers served in schools across the country, including in remote regions, and were widely respected for their contributions.
Today, the Indian diaspora in Ethiopia is estimated at around 2,500. Indians continue to play an important role in Ethiopia’s education sector, with approximately 150 Indian nationals holding faculty positions in universities and higher educational institutions.
Indian companies also employ Ethiopian workers, while several Ethiopian firms engage Indian professionals.
The diaspora is preparing a special cultural programme to welcome Modi during his visit.
“A large number of activities, including recitation of songs and poems, are planned. On the evening of the 16th, the Indian diaspora will present a memorable welcome for the Prime Minister,” Rai said.
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With inputs from agencies
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