'Belongs To Countless Indians': PM Modi After Receiving 'Great Honour Nishan' In Ethiopia

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he is grateful to the people of Ethiopia and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for conferring upon him the ‘Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia’ Tuesday evening and dedicated his award to ‘countless Indians’ who have shaped the relationship between the two countries. PM Modi is the first global Head of State or Head of Government to receive Ethiopia's highest highest honour. 

“To be honoured by one of the world’s most ancient and rich civilisations is a matter of immense pride. This honour belongs to the countless Indians who have shaped and strengthened our partnership over the years,” PM Modi posted on X, adding that India aims to further cement cooperation with the East African nation on evolving global challenges and create new opportunities.

Earlier on Tuesday night after receiving the award, PM Modi posted a snippet from his speech on X, in which he dedicated the award to the people of India. 

“I’m honoured to be conferred with the ‘Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia.’ I dedicate it to the 140 crore people of India,” he posted on X.

During his visit, the Prime Minister said that during his meeting with his Ethiopian counterpart, the two nations decided to elevate their ties to a ‘Strategic Partnership’. PM Modi shared that he gave three key suggestions to enhance bilateral ties between the two nations, including deepening relations in food security and health security, boosting capacity building especially through programmes in artificial intelligence and doubling student scholarships, and lastly by working extensively on Digital Public Infrastructure.

Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday said that the warmth and affection shown by the Ethiopian leadership, enabling it to proceed his visit quickly by circumventing the lengthy routine diplomatic procedures.

The Prime Minister's visit comes after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali invited him to visit the African country during their meeting at the G20 Summit in South Africa in November, 2025.

"How could I refuse this affectionate invitation from my friend, my brother? Therefore, as soon as I got the first opportunity, I decided to come to Ethiopia. Friends, if this visit had followed normal diplomatic procedures, it would probably have taken a long time. But it is this love and affection of yours that brought me here in just 24 days," PM Modi said.

PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia on Tuesday for a two-day visit where he was accorded a warm welcome and conferred the prestigious award. Ethiopia was the second leg of his three-nation visit. In the final leg of his visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Oman on December 17-18.

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