New Delhi, Oct 23 (IANS) The inaugural army-to-army staff talks between India and Ethiopia have concluded in Pune, marking a significant milestone in strengthening bilateral military cooperation, the Indian Army said on Friday.
“The inaugural Army-to-Army Staff Talks between the Indian Army and the Ethiopian Army concluded in Pune, marking a significant milestone in strengthening bilateral military cooperation. The talks focused on enhancing professional engagement, capacity building, defence technology, innovation and exploring new avenues of cooperation,” the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) of the Indian Army posted on X.
“The Ethiopian Army delegation also visited Indian defence industries, gaining insights into the Nation’s indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities and growing start-up ecosystem, reflecting the progress under Aatmanirbhar Bharat. The engagement reaffirmed the shared commitment of both Armies to deepen military cooperation and strengthen enduring ties of friendship,” it added.
Last month, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, Sanjay Kumar, and Major General Teshome Gemechu, Director General for Defence Foreign Relations and Military Cooperation, Ethiopia, co-chaired the second India-Ethiopia Joint Defence Cooperation Meeting in Addis Ababa.
During the meeting, the officials of the two nations discussed areas of mutual interest in the fields of military training, military exercises, medical cooperation, peacekeeping and defence industries.
The two sides agreed to expand and deepen defence cooperation activities through exchange of personnel from training institutes, exploring avenues for joint ventures in defence production, delegation visits and experience-sharing interactions, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Defence.
The meeting was part of the institutional mechanism established through the signing of the Defence Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Defence Ministers of India and Ethiopia in February last year. The first India-Ethiopia Joint Defence Cooperation was held in New Delhi in October last year.
“Ethiopia is an important defence partner of India, and the partnership started way back in 1958. During the visit of Prime Minister of India to Ethiopia in December 2025, the bilateral relationship between the two countries was elevated to the level of ‘Strategic Partnership’,” the ministry had stated.
–IANS
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