Addis Ababa, December 15 — Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Ethiopia on December 16–17, India’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Anil Kumar Rai, said the talks will span a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues. Key agenda items will include Indian investments, agriculture, mining, digital public infrastructure (DPI) and cybersecurity, he told ANI.
Rai said education, health, defence and agriculture will also feature prominently and that the visit will review the full gamut of India–Ethiopia ties. He highlighted agriculture as a priority given that roughly 80 percent of Ethiopians rely on farming for their livelihoods, and said the discussions are expected to be broad and substantive across sectors.
On energy and climate cooperation, Rai said India plans several projects in Ethiopia under the International Solar Alliance (ISA). Planned initiatives include solar rooftops, regional solar connectivity, off-grid systems and solar pumps designed to extend energy access to communities not connected to the national grid and to support poverty alleviation efforts.
The International Solar Alliance, launched by India and France at COP21 in 2015, aims to accelerate solar deployment worldwide. After a 2020 amendment, ISA membership was opened to all UN member states. More than 100 countries have signed the ISA agreement and over 90 have ratified it. The alliance’s stated goal is to mobilise USD 1 trillion in solar investments by 2030 while lowering technology and financing costs.
Rai also noted preparations by the roughly 2,500-strong Indian diaspora in Ethiopia for a special outreach programme to welcome the prime minister, including cultural events planned for the evening of December 16.
Modi’s two-day visit, the second leg of a three-nation tour after Jordan, comes at the invitation of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, it will be Modi’s first trip to Ethiopia and will reaffirm both countries’ commitment to deepen cooperation as partners in the Global South.
