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PM Modi and Abiy Ahmed's Delhi meeting puts India-Ethiopia ties at the heart of the BRICS story. (Img: Google)
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali on Saturday ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit, putting India-Ethiopia strategic ties, trade, defence and Global South cooperation in focus. The meeting is drawing attention because Ethiopia is a relatively new BRICS member, while India is using its 2026 chairship to deepen ties with African nations and expand the bloc's role in global affairs.
The two leaders held high-level bilateral talks at Hyderabad House, reviewing the progress of the India-Ethiopia Strategic Partnership and discussing ways to strengthen cooperation across several sectors. They also exchanged views on regional and international developments and reaffirmed the importance of working closely through multilateral platforms.
The warm meeting between Modi and Abiy Ahmed also highlighted the growing political relationship between New Delhi and Addis Ababa at a time when Africa is becoming increasingly important to India's diplomatic, economic and strategic outreach.
Ethiopia became a full BRICS member in January 2024, joining the expanded grouping alongside Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Indonesia subsequently became a full member in January 2025.
For Ethiopia, BRICS membership provides access to a larger group of emerging economies and creates opportunities to expand exports, attract investment and diversify its economy. Coffee, flowers and other agricultural products are among the sectors that could benefit from greater access to BRICS markets.
For India, Ethiopia represents an important partner in Africa. Around 675 Indian companies are registered in Ethiopia, creating an established business presence that can support further cooperation in infrastructure, technology, telecommunications, agriculture, manufacturing and other sectors.
This gives the latest Modi-Abiy engagement an important economic dimension. As supply chains, infrastructure and emerging technologies become central to global competition, India and Ethiopia have an opportunity to move beyond traditional diplomatic ties towards stronger commercial and strategic partnerships.
The relationship is not limited to trade and investment. Defence and security cooperation are emerging as important pillars of India-Ethiopia engagement. Earlier in September, Indian and Ethiopian officials discussed ways to expand bilateral defence cooperation. Military training, defence industry collaboration, joint manufacturing opportunities and cooperation in United Nations peacekeeping were among the areas explored.
The focus on defence comes as India continues to expand its defence partnerships across Africa and promote cooperation in training, capacity building and defence manufacturing. For Ethiopia, closer engagement with India's defence ecosystem could provide opportunities for training and institutional cooperation. For India, deeper defence relations with African countries can strengthen its strategic outreach and support its wider Global South diplomacy.
Abiy Ahmed arrived in New Delhi on Friday to participate in the 18th BRICS Summit. He was received by Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth. Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos is also participating in the summit, adding further weight to the Ethiopian delegation's engagement with Indian officials.
The Ethiopian Prime Minister's presence in Delhi comes at a crucial moment for the expanded BRICS framework, where India is attempting to build consensus among countries with different political systems, economic priorities and regional interests.
The Modi-Abiy talks also fit into India's broader Africa outreach. New Delhi has consistently supported greater representation for African countries in international institutions and has positioned the Global South as a major priority of its foreign policy. Ethiopia's participation in BRICS gives India another platform to advance this engagement.
The relationship between India and Ethiopia has deep historical roots, but recent high-level exchanges have given it a stronger strategic dimension. Modi visited Ethiopia in December 2025 for a two-day visit. During the trip, he held talks with Abiy Ahmed, addressed a joint session of the Ethiopian Parliament and visited the Adwa Museum.
He was also awarded Ethiopia's highest civilian honour, the Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia, during the visit. The recognition reflected the importance Ethiopia attaches to its relationship with India and the political significance of closer engagement between the two countries.
The relationship also received political momentum earlier this year when Modi congratulated Abiy Ahmed and his Prosperity Party following their victory in Ethiopia's parliamentary elections.
The exchange between the two leaders reinforced the focus on the long-term India-Ethiopia Strategic Partnership and cooperation between the two countries. The latest meeting in New Delhi now provides an opportunity to translate that political goodwill into greater economic, defence and institutional cooperation.
India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 12 and 13 as the chair of the grouping for 2026. India's BRICS chairship is centred on the theme Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability. Development, sustainability, technology, economic resilience and stronger cooperation among member countries are expected to remain important components of the summit agenda.
BRICS now consists of 11 full members: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. The grouping also has 10 partner countries: Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The expansion has transformed BRICS from a smaller emerging-economy grouping into a much broader platform spanning Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.
The growing importance of BRICS comes against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions, economic fragmentation, technological disruption, climate pressures and changing global supply chains. India wants the expanded grouping to produce practical outcomes rather than remain only a diplomatic forum. That includes cooperation in areas such as finance, trade, technology, development, sustainability, infrastructure and people-to-people exchanges.
The inclusion of Ethiopia gives the African continent a stronger presence inside BRICS and strengthens the bloc's claim to represent a broader Global South. For India, this is strategically significant. Stronger engagement with Ethiopia and other African partners can help New Delhi build support for reforms in global institutions while expanding economic and diplomatic relationships across the continent.
For ordinary people and businesses, the significance of the meeting lies beyond diplomatic handshakes. Greater India-Ethiopia economic cooperation could create opportunities for companies involved in infrastructure, technology, agriculture, manufacturing and services. Increased agricultural trade could also give Ethiopian producers access to larger markets, while Indian businesses could find new opportunities in one of Africa's important economies.
Defence and training cooperation can strengthen institutional capacity, while closer coordination in multilateral forums could give developing countries a stronger collective voice on global issues. The challenge will be converting political momentum into measurable projects, increased trade, investment commitments and long-term partnerships.
The Modi-Abiy meeting is expected to feed into the wider discussions at the 18th BRICS Summit, where India is seeking stronger cooperation among the expanded membership. The immediate focus will remain on building consensus around economic resilience, innovation, sustainability and multilateral cooperation.
For India and Ethiopia, the next phase will be about translating their growing political relationship into deeper trade, investment, defence and development partnerships. The meeting carries significance on two levels: it strengthens an important India-Africa relationship and reinforces India's wider effort to make BRICS a more effective platform for the Global South.
