Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali held bilateral talks in New Delhi ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit. The leaders discussed bilateral relations, strengthening intra-BRICS cooperation and global and regional matters of mutual interest.
Updated On – 12 September 2026, 11:29 AM
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Ethiopian counterpart, Abiy Ahmed Ali, held bilateral talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit.
During the meeting, the two leaders are expected to discuss the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, as well as areas of mutual interest.
PM Modi and Abiy Ahmed Ali shared a warm hug as they arrived at the Hyderabad House for the meeting.
The Ethiopian PM arrived in New Delhi on Friday to attend the 18th BRICS Summit. He was warmly received by Minister of State (MoS) for Defence Sanjay Seth.
As BRICS Chair 2026, India is set to host the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 12-13.
India’s BRICS chairship is guided by the theme: ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’, reflecting PM Modi’s vision of a people-centric approach rooted in the spirit of “Humanity First”. In addition to these areas, the leaders will discuss strengthening intra-BRICS cooperation on common priorities and share perspectives on global and regional matters of mutual importance.
BRICS comprises Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. BRICS partner countries are: Belarus, Cuba, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
In June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated his Ethiopian counterpart and his Prosperity Party on their win in Ethiopia’s parliamentary elections.
“Heartiest congratulations to my friend, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and the Prosperity Party for a decisive victory in the Ethiopian parliamentary elections,” PM Modi wrote on X.
“India greatly cherishes its historic, multifaceted and deep-rooted ties with Ethiopia. I fondly recall my visit to Ethiopia last year and look forward to working closely together to further strengthen our Strategic Partnership and the bonds of friendship between our peoples,” he added.
In response, Abiy Ahmed Ali thanked PM Modi for his wishes on his election triumph and stated that he looked forward to building on the Strategic Partnership.
“Thank you, Your Excellency Prime Minister Narendra Modi, trusted friend and elder brother whose historic mandate speaks to the enduring democratic strength of the world’s largest democracy. Ethiopia and India share bonds rooted in history, partnership, and shared ambition for our peoples. We look forward to building on our Strategic Partnership and continuing this journey together! Namaste,” Abiy Ahmed Ali posted on X.
In December last year, PM Modi was on a two-day visit to Ethiopia. During the visit, PM Modi held talks with PM Abiy Ahmed Ali, addressed the joint session of Parliament and visited the Adwa Museum. PM Modi was also conferred with Ethiopia’s highest civilian honour, the ‘Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia’.
