Modi rallies Global South unity on landmark Ethiopia visit
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the countries of the Global South to stand together and assert a stronger role in global decision-making during a visit to Ethiopia, where he signed new agreements with the African state to deepen cooperation in fields including trade and security.
Modi addressed lawmakers in Addis Ababa on Wednesday after talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
“Indeed, solidarity is a strength and cooperation is power. And today, as nations of the Global South, as ancient civilizations, as friends, India and Ethiopia are standing together,” Modi told parliament.
He said the Global South is shaping its own future and that Addis Ababa and New Delhi share a “vision of a world where the Global South rises not against anyone, but for everyone.”
Modi also called for changes to global institutions to reflect present realities, warning that the “world cannot move forward if its system remains locked in the past.”
The prime minister was visiting Ethiopia for the first time, the second stop on his three-nation tour, after traveling to Jordan and ahead of a trip to Oman.
Earlier this year, Modi traveled to Ghana and Namibia, and later visited South Africa to attend the G20 leaders’ summit, as New Delhi sought to deepen ties across the continent.
During his two-day state visit to Ethiopia, which began on Tuesday, the two sides agreed to cooperate on customs, digitalization, and peacekeeping, as well as to develop a data center for the Foreign Ministry of Africa’s second most populous country.
Thank you, Prime Minister @narendramodi , for your visit to Ethiopia and for your continued efforts to strengthen India–Ethiopia relations. Our elevated ties to a strategic level marks an important milestone and opens a new chapter of deeper cooperation and shared progress… pic.twitter.com/WjgXV6VbIU
— Abiy Ahmed Ali 🇪🇹 (@AbiyAhmedAli) December 17, 2025
Modi pointed to expanding commercial ties, saying Indian companies had invested more than $5 billion in Ethiopia across sectors including textiles, manufacturing, agriculture, and health, creating more than 75,000 local jobs.
The prime minister also highlighted closer coordination on defense and counterterrorism, and thanked Ethiopia for its support following a recent attack in India, adding that both countries shared “zero tolerance towards terrorism.”
“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,” he declared.
Modi received Ethiopia’s highest civilian award, the Great Honour Nishan, typically conferred for outstanding service to the country, becoming the first foreign leader to receive it.
