Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended a formal invitation to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali to attend two major events that India will host in 2026: the AI Impact Summit in February and the BRICS Summit later in the year, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. This invitation was announced during Mr. Modi’s official visit to Addis Ababa, underscoring India’s intent to deepen strategic and multilateral cooperation with Ethiopia.
Briefing the media, MEA Secretary (Economic Relations) Sudhakar Dalela noted that India will assume the chairship of the BRICS grouping for one year starting January 1, 2026, highlighting Ethiopia’s role as a partner ahead of the summit. Mr. Modi is also scheduled to address a joint session of the Ethiopian Parliament and hold discussions with senior Ethiopian leaders during his visit.
The visit has already featured detailed bilateral talks covering political, economic and strategic cooperation, including agreements on customs cooperation, training for UN peacekeeping missions, and the establishment of a data centre at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. India and Ethiopia also signed a MoU on debt restructuring under the G20 Common Framework, and discussions touched on educational and healthcare collaborations.
The invitations to the AI Impact Summit and the BRICS meet reflect India’s broader diplomatic engagement with the African nation and its desire to bolster ties within the Global South ahead of its BRICS presidency.
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