Ethiopia-India Partnership Deepening Across Key Strategic Sectors, Says India's Ambassador

Addis Ababa, June 29, 2026 (ENA)—  Indian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Anil Kumar Rai, said that cooperation between Ethiopia and India is entering a new phase of growth, particularly in the healthcare, artificial intelligence, governance, and agriculture sectors, following agreements reached during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic visit to Ethiopia in December 2025.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Rai said the two countries are making steady progress in implementing the agreements reached during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic visit to Ethiopia in December 2026, with several initiatives already advancing toward implementation.

Among the key areas of cooperation, Rai highlighted healthcare, revealing that three major Indian healthcare providers are preparing to invest in Ethiopia through partnerships with local institutions. According to the ambassador, the projects include the establishment of specialized hospitals and eye care facilities.

"These three projects are at an advanced stage, and we hope that before the end of 2026, they will be operational," he said.

Rai said the healthcare projects are part of a broader package of bilateral initiatives covering agriculture, education, artificial intelligence, defense cooperation, and other strategic sectors agreed upon during Prime Minister Modi's visit.

"We have agreed on multiple agendas, and this includes agriculture, health, education, artificial intelligence, and many more fields, including defense cooperation," he said.

The ambassador noted that both governments are working closely to ensure all agreed initiatives are implemented according to schedule.

"We are systematically working on each and every issue that has been agreed upon, and we want to conclude all those decisions which were taken and implement them in a time-bound manner," he said.

On digital transformation, the ambassador commended Ethiopia's progress, noting that the African Union designated Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as the continental champion for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Health.

He expressed confidence that the expanding partnership would soon produce visible results.

"You will see that our strategic cooperation will further broaden and it will start showcasing its results on the ground," he said.

The ambassador also highlighted growing cooperation in governance and institutional capacity building. He said India recently hosted a 40-member Ethiopian parliamentary delegation, comprising Speakers from all regional states and city administrations, officials from democratic institutions, and representatives of the Prosperity Party.

The delegation participated in a week-long capacity-building program focusing on democratic governance and institutional best practices.

In addition, India hosted a 34-member delegation of Ethiopian women parliamentarians in March this year to exchange experiences on governance, legislative processes, and India's electoral system.

Highlighting agricultural cooperation, Rai praised Ethiopia's achievements under the National Agricultural Development Program, particularly the country's increased wheat productivity.

"The Prime Minister of Ethiopia has started the National Agricultural Development Program, and during that period, he has increased the productivity of wheat in Ethiopia, unheard of before. Today, the per-hectare productivity has reached unprecedented levels," he said.

He added that India has welcomed several Ethiopian agricultural delegations to share expertise on drought-resistant crop varieties, mixed-cropping systems, scientific irrigation, and other modern farming technologies.

Rai said the growing agricultural partnership has significant potential to contribute not only to Ethiopia's food security but also to Africa's broader agricultural transformation through technology transfer, innovation, and knowledge sharing.

India and Ethiopia have maintained diplomatic relations for more than seven decades, with cooperation expanding steadily in trade, investment, education, agriculture, healthcare, technology, and capacity building.