Second Joint Defence Cooperation Meeting Between India and Ethiopia Concludes in Addis Ababa

The second Joint Defence Cooperation (JDC) meeting between India and Ethiopia was held on September 28, 2026, in Addis Ababa. During the meeting, both nations engaged in detailed discussions on matters of mutual interest, including military training, military exercises, medical cooperation, peacekeeping, and the defense industry.

Both parties agreed to further strengthen and expand defense cooperation activities. To achieve this, emphasis was placed on the exchange of personnel from training institutions, exploring opportunities for joint ventures in defense production, organizing delegation visits, and sharing experiences.

This meeting is part of the institutional arrangement established under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defense cooperation signed by the defense ministers of both countries in February 2025. Previously, the first JDC meeting was hosted in New Delhi in October 2025.

The meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Sanjay Kumar, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of India, and Major General Teshome Gemechu, Director General of Foreign Relations and Military Cooperation of Ethiopia. The Indian delegation included officials from the Department of Defence and Air Force Headquarters, while Mr. Devesh Uttam, India's Ambassador to Ethiopia, also participated in the discussions.

Defense partnership between India and Ethiopia began in 1958. Bilateral relations between the two nations were elevated to the level of a 'Strategic Partnership' during the visit of the Prime Minister of India to Ethiopia in December 2025.