Feel at home: Modi in Ethiopian Parliament

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing the Ethiopian Parliament on Wednesday said the country made him "feel at home". Modi said, "Ethiopia is the land of lions. I feel very much at home because my home state, Gujarat, in India is also home to lions... On behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India, I bring greetings of friendship, goodwill and brotherhood.

"India's national song 'Vande Mataram' and Ethiopia's national anthem both refer to our land as the 'mother'. They inspire us to take pride in the heritage, culture, beauty and protect the motherland," he said. Ethiopia sits at a crossroads of Africa. India stands at the heart of the Indian Ocean, he said.

"Our commitment to mutual security became stronger with the signing of the defence cooperation agreement earlier this year... It includes collaboration in cybersecurity, in defence industries, in joint research, and in capacity building. I take this opportunity to thank Ethiopia for your solidarity after the terrorist attack in India in Pahalgam in April," the PM said.


The Global South is writing its own destiny. And, India and Ethiopia share a vision for it, Modi said

"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."

In modern times, the relationship entered a new era, Modi said. Indian soldiers fought alongside Ethiopians for the liberation of Ethiopia in 1941. Our formal diplomatic ties began soon after India became independent.