New Delhi, Sept. 12 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi held separate bilateral meetings with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, with defence cooperation, investment and emerging technologies emerging as key areas of discussion.
Ethiopia and Malaysia expressed interest in deepening defence cooperation with India, including joint training of personnel and procurement of defence equipment from Indian companies. The discussions come as India continues to expand its defence partnerships and exports, particularly with countries across the Global South.
During Modi's meeting with Abiy Ahmed, India and Ethiopia discussed expanding economic engagement and creating new investment opportunities. Ethiopia specifically welcomed greater participation by Indian mining companies, opening possibilities for Indian businesses in the country's natural-resource sector.
The two sides also discussed strengthening defence ties through personnel training and procurement of Indian defence equipment. The growing engagement fits into India's broader effort to expand commercial and strategic partnerships across Africa.
India's defence exports and cooperation have gained momentum in recent years, with several countries showing interest in Indian-made military platforms, missiles, artillery systems, radars and aircraft. Malaysia has also expressed interest in the BrahMos missile system, including the possibility of an air-launched version for its Su-30 fighter aircraft.
In his meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Modi discussed opportunities to expand cooperation in semiconductors, defence and investment. India and Malaysia are exploring collaboration across the semiconductor value chain, including technology, workforce development and strengthening supply chains.
Defence cooperation could become another important pillar of the bilateral relationship, particularly given Malaysia's interest in BrahMos. The two countries also discussed encouraging greater participation by businesses, with India seeking to attract Malaysian investment while encouraging Indian companies to expand their presence in Malaysia.
The meetings highlight India's effort to use the BRICS platform to deepen bilateral partnerships beyond the core agenda of the grouping. For Ethiopia and Malaysia, closer engagement with India could provide opportunities in defence, technology, investment and other emerging sectors.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.