Addis Ababa [Ethiopia], December 17 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali to participate in the next AI Impact Summit, scheduled to be held in India in February next year, as well as the BRICS Summit that India proposes to host in 2026, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday.

Briefing the media on the Prime Minister's visit to Ethiopia, MEA Secretary (ER) Sudhakar Dalela said that India will assume the chairship of the BRICS grouping for one year starting January 1, 2026.

Dalela said that Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to address a joint session of the Ethiopian Parliament later on Wednesday.

During the day, the Prime Minister will also interact with the Speaker of Parliament and other senior Ethiopian leaders. As part of his engagements, PM Modi will visit the Adwa Museum and pay his respects at the Adwa Victory Memorial.

The MEA said Prime Minister Modi arrived in Ethiopia on Tuesday and was accorded a warm welcome. In a special gesture, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali personally drove Prime Minister Modi to the National Science Museum and Friendship Park in Addis Ababa.

Later, Prime Minister Modi was given a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace, where he inspected the Guard of Honour. The two leaders subsequently held detailed bilateral talks covering political, economic and strategic cooperation.

According to the MEA, Prime Minister Modi thanked Prime Minister Abiy for Ethiopia's strong support to India in the fight against terrorism 'in all its manifestations.'

The two leaders also witnessed the exchange of several Memoranda of Understanding across key sectors. 'These include agreements on customs cooperation, training for United Nations peacekeeping missions, and the establishment of a data centre at the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs,' Dalela said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Ministry of External Affairs released the official list of outcomes from the Prime Minister's visit, highlighting the elevation of bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership as a key milestone.

Among the major agreements announced were an accord on cooperation and mutual administrative assistance in customs matters, a Memorandum of Understanding for establishing a data centre at Ethiopia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and an implementing arrangement for cooperation in United Nations peacekeeping operations training.

India and Ethiopia also signed an MoU on debt restructuring under the G20 Common Framework, reflecting closer coordination on economic and financial issues. Educational cooperation was strengthened with a decision to double scholarships for Ethiopian students under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations programme and to offer specialised short-term courses in Artificial Intelligence under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation initiative.

In the healthcare sector, India is committed to supporting capacity augmentation at the Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Addis Ababa, particularly in maternal healthcare and neonatal care.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi expressed gratitude after being conferred with Ethiopia's highest civilian honour, the Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia, calling it a matter of immense pride and a recognition of the deep-rooted ties between the two nations.

Thanking the people and government of Ethiopia and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, PM Modi said the award belonged to the countless Indians who have contributed over the years to strengthening India-Ethiopia relations. He noted that being honoured by one of the world's most ancient civilisations was deeply meaningful.

Ethiopia conferred the award on Tuesday, making Modi the first global Head of State or Government to receive the honour. The recognition marks the 28th top foreign state award bestowed on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (ANI)