India, Ethiopia natural partners in regional peace, security: PM

New Delhi: In yet another step to deepen its bond and engagement with global south, India has decided to raise the bilateral ties with Ethiopia to the level of strategic partnership.

The decision was taken during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s just concluded visit to the African nation where he held talks with his counterpart Abiy Ahmad Ali.

The importance of Ethiopia for India was highlighted by the Prime Minister during his address to Parliament of the African nation when he underlined that “Ethiopia sits at a crossroads of Africa. India stands at the heart of the Indian Ocean. We are natural partners in regional peace, security, and connectivity.”

The Prime Minister said that signing of the Defence Cooperation Agreement earlier this year proves the two countries’ commitment to mutual security.

This agreement focuses on closer military cooperation. It includes collaboration in cybersecurity, in defence industries, in joint research, and in capacity building.

The Prime Minister also spoke of the significance of trade relations between the two countries. He pointed out that Indian companies were today among the largest foreign investors in Ethiopia, having invested more than five billion dollars in diverse sectors like textiles, manufacturing, agriculture, health, and more. And, they have created more than seventy-five thousand local jobs.

“But, I am sure we can all agree, our partnership has a lot more potential. That is why, Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed and I took a big step forward yesterday. We have decided to elevate our bilateral relationship to the level of a Strategic Partnership,” he said.

This will unleash the potential of the two economies, through cooperation in technology, innovation, mining, sustainability, and clean energy, and it will also help secure the future for peoples of the two countries through cooperation in food security, health security and capacity building. In addition, we will also enhance our trade and investment cooperation, as well as on defence and security matters.

Talking of robust digital infrastructure in India, he said that as Ethiopia rolls out the Digital Ethiopia 2025 Strategy, India was ready to share its expertise and experience with the country.

Going back to history, he recalled that nearly two thousand years ago, “our ancestors built connections across great waters. Across the Indian Ocean, merchants sailed with spices, cotton, coffee, and gold. But, they traded more than goods. They exchanged ideas, stories, and ways of life. Ports like अदूलिस and Dholera were not just trade centres. They were bridges between civilisations.”

In modern times,he said the relationship between the two nations entered a new era, as Indian soldiers fought alongside Ethiopians for the liberation of Ethiopia in 1941, and formal diplomatic relations with Ethiopia began soon after India became independent.

But even before embassies were set up, the people of the two countries had already started writing a new chapter together. Thousands of Indian teachers came to Ethiopia. They taught children, reached Ethiopian schools, and entered Ethiopian hearts. Even today, many Ethiopian parents speak warmly about Indian teachers who shaped the future of their children, he said.

He said Ethiopia was one of the oldest civilisations in human history, and it’s here that science has traced some of the earliest footprints of human species.

He thanked the government of Ethiopia for honouring him with the highest civilian award of the country, Nishan of Ethiopia, which he received ‘from my dear friend Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed. I accept this award with folded hands, with humility, on behalf of the people of India,’ he said.
—India News Stream