India and Ethiopia Expand Defence Cooperation at Second Joint Defence Cooperation Meeting

India and Ethiopia have agreed to deepen their defence partnership across military training, joint exercises, peacekeeping, medical cooperation and defence-industrial collaboration during the second Joint Defence Cooperation meeting held in Addis Ababa on September 28, 2026.

The meeting marked another step in the steadily expanding India-Ethiopia strategic partnership, with both sides discussing practical measures to increase military-to-military engagement and explore new opportunities for cooperation in defence production.

India and Ethiopia Discuss Wider Military Cooperation

During the second Joint Defence Cooperation meeting, representatives of India and Ethiopia reviewed areas of mutual interest covering military training, military exercises, medical cooperation, United Nations peacekeeping operations and defence industries.

Both countries agreed to expand exchanges between personnel from their respective military training institutions. Such exchanges are expected to support greater interaction between the armed forces while allowing officers and instructors to share operational, training and institutional experience.

The two sides also discussed increasing delegation-level visits and experience-sharing interactions as part of a broader effort to build stronger institutional links between their defence establishments.

Defence Production and Joint Ventures Enter the Agenda

Defence industrial cooperation emerged as an important element of the discussions, with India and Ethiopia agreeing to explore opportunities for joint ventures in defence production.

For India, which has been expanding its indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem and defence exports under the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives, greater engagement with Ethiopia could create new opportunities for cooperation with African defence markets.

The discussions indicate that the India-Ethiopia defence partnership is gradually moving beyond traditional military training and personnel exchanges towards a wider relationship involving defence technology, manufacturing and industrial collaboration.

Any future joint ventures would depend on specific requirements, commercial arrangements and agreements between the two sides, but the inclusion of defence production in the institutional dialogue represents a significant expansion in the scope of bilateral cooperation.

Institutional Defence Cooperation Strengthens

The Joint Defence Cooperation mechanism was established under the Defence Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Defence Ministers of India and Ethiopia in February 2025.

The first Joint Defence Cooperation meeting was subsequently held in New Delhi in October 2025, providing an institutional framework for regular discussions between the two defence establishments.

The second meeting in Addis Ababa therefore represents the continuation of a structured defence dialogue intended to identify new areas of cooperation and monitor progress in existing engagements.

Senior Defence Officials Lead the Addis Ababa Meeting

The meeting was co-chaired by Sanjay Kumar, Joint Secretary in India’s Ministry of Defence, and Major General Teshome Gemechu, Director General for Defence Foreign Relations and Military Cooperation of Ethiopia.

The Indian delegation included officers from the Department of Defence and Air Headquarters. India’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Devesh Uttam, also participated in the discussions.

The presence of officials from Air Headquarters highlights the wider military dimension of the talks as both countries examine opportunities for greater engagement between their armed forces.

A Defence Relationship Dating Back to 1958

India and Ethiopia share one of India’s older defence relationships in Africa, with military cooperation between the two countries dating back to 1958.

Over the decades, India has maintained strong links with Ethiopia through military training, capacity building and professional exchanges. Ethiopia’s strategic location in the Horn of Africa has also made it an important partner in India’s wider engagement with the African continent.

The relationship received further political momentum during the visit of the Prime Minister of India to Ethiopia in December 2025, when bilateral relations were elevated to the level of a Strategic Partnership.

The elevation provided a broader framework for cooperation covering political, economic, developmental and strategic areas, with defence cooperation becoming an increasingly important component of the relationship.

India Deepens Defence Engagement With Africa

The latest India-Ethiopia defence talks also fit into India’s wider effort to strengthen defence partnerships across Africa through military training, capacity building, defence exports and cooperation with local defence industries.

India has increasingly positioned its domestic defence manufacturing sector as a potential supplier and technology partner for friendly countries seeking affordable and adaptable military equipment.

Ethiopia’s longstanding military relationship with India, combined with the Strategic Partnership established in 2025, provides an institutional foundation for expanding cooperation into areas such as defence manufacturing, military medicine, peacekeeping and professional military education.

The second Joint Defence Cooperation meeting in Addis Ababa therefore strengthens an existing relationship while opening new possibilities for India-Ethiopia defence industrial cooperation and closer engagement between their armed forces.

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References

Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Defence, Government of India — “Second JDC meeting between India and Ethiopia held in Addis Ababa,” September 28, 2026.

Ministry of Defence, Government of India — India-Ethiopia Defence Cooperation framework and Joint Defence Cooperation mechanism.

Government of India — India-Ethiopia Strategic Partnership, established during the Prime Minister’s visit to Ethiopia in December 2025.

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