Addis Ababa: Calling Ethiopia the “Land of Lions” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he felt at home in that country as his home state in India, Gujarat, is also a home to lions.
PM Modi was addressing a Joint Session of the Parliament of Ethiopia on Wednesday, when he said this. This became the 18th parliament worldwide where he has delivered an address, as per ANI.
“It is a moment of great privilege for me to stand before you today. I feel honoured to be here in the temple of democracy, in the heart of a nation with ancient wisdom and modern aspirations,” he said, adding that he carried with him the greetings of 1.4 billion Indians.
“In this great building, the will of the people becomes the will of the state. When the wheel of the state moves in harmony with the wheel of the people, the wheel of progress moves forward with hope and purpose,” PM Modi said, while expressing deep respect for Ethiopia’s Parliament, people and democratic journey.
The Prime Minister also thanked Ethiopian prime minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for conferring on him the Grand Honour Nishan of Ethiopia, the country’s highest civilian award.
“I accept this honour with folded hands and humility on behalf of the people of India,” he said.
The Indian PM describef Ethiopia as one of the world’s oldest civilisati
ons, and said that history lives on in its mountains, valleys and in the hearts of its people. He also highlighted a cultural link, noting that both India’s national song, Vande Mataram and Ethiopia’s national anthem refer to the land as “mother”.
“We too are an ancient civilisation, walking confidently into the future, guided by the call of ‘Sabka saath, Sabka vikas, Sabka prayas’. Our emotions for our motherland also reflect our shared perspective. India’s song Vande Mataram and the Ethiopian national anthem both refer to the land as mother.They inspire us to take pride in our cultural heritage and to protect the motherland,” he said.
On Tuesday, after reaching Ethiopia, PM Modi held wide-ranging talks with prime minister Ali, during which the two countries elevated their bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership. The discussions focused on cooperation in food and health security, capacity building, Digital Public Infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, medical tourism, energy and critical minerals.
Ethiopian singers rendered Vande Mataram at a banquet in his honour. PM Modi described the moment as deeply moving, especially as India marks 150 years of the national song.
Sharing the video in which he can be seen clapping as an Ethiopian singer sings Vande Mataram, PM Modi wrote in an X post, “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.”
The Indian Prime Minister will visit the Adwa Museum and pay his respects at the Adwa Victory Memorial later in the day, as per the Ministry of External Affairs.