Photo credit: X/narendramodi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said he was “deeply moved” by a rendition of Vande Mataram performed by Ethiopian singers at a banquet hosted in his honour by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali in Addis Ababa.The Prime Minister noted the performance as a special moment, noting that it came as India marks 150 years of the national song.In a post on X, PM Modi described the performance as a “wonderful rendition” and a “deeply moving moment”. The Prime Minsiter wrote, “At yesterday’s banquet dinner hosted by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, a wonderful rendition of Vande Mataram was sung by Ethiopian singers. It was a deeply moving moment, that too at a time when we are marking 150 years of Vande Mataram” alongside a video from the event. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister also laid a wreath at the Adwa Victory Memorial, paying tribute during his state visit to Ethiopia. PM Modi arrived in Addis Ababa on Tuesday for a two-day visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. In a rare gesture underscoring the warmth of bilateral ties, the Ethiopian leader personally received the Prime Minister at the airport and drove him to his hotel. Abiy Ahmed, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, also took PM Modi on an unscheduled visit to the Science Museum and Friendship Park. The Prime Minister also addressed a joint session of the Ethiopian Parliament and is expected to meet members of the Indian diaspora. After landing, PM Modi said he was honoured by the welcome and highlighted Ethiopia’s rich history and culture, noting the deep civilisational links between the two countries. He said he looked forward to engaging with the Ethiopian leadership to further strengthen cooperation across sectors.The Ethiopia visit follows the conclusion of the first leg of the Prime Minister’s tour to Jordan, which he described as “immensely productive”.According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the visit aims to reaffirm the shared commitment of India and Ethiopia, as partners in the Global South, to deepen friendship and expand bilateral cooperation. In the final leg of his tour, PM Modi will travel to Oman from December 17 to 18 at the invitation of Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, with the MEA highlighting the countries’ long-standing strategic partnership rooted in historic ties and strong people-to-people connections.
