Ethiopian singers performed India's national song Vande Mataram in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Addis Ababa on Tuesday night. A video shared by ANI showed PM Modi raising his hands and clapping enthusiastically as the singers rendered the song in their musical style, accompanied by traditional instruments.
#WATCH | Addis Ababa | Ethiopian singers sang India's national song Vande Mataram, in the presence of PM Modi, last night. pic.twitter.com/oEUF8SFZ8v
— ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2025
PM Modi arrived in Addis Ababa from Jordan and received a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace ahead of scheduled talks. The performance took place during PM Modi's official engagements in the Ethiopian capital, where he met his counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali to discuss bilateral and mutual interests.
Ali received PM Modi at the airport and drove him to his hotel. During the drive, he took PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, stops not included in the itinerary. Earlier, PM Modi said he looked forward to working closely with the Ethiopian leadership to strengthen the India-Ethiopia partnership across diverse sectors.
On Tuesday, Ali conferred Ethiopia's highest civilian honour, The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia, on PM Modi at a ceremony held at the Addis International Convention Centre. The Ministry of External Affairs said the award recognised Modi's exceptional contribution to strengthening India-Ethiopia ties and his visionary leadership as a global statesman. PM Modi is the first global head of state or government to receive the honour.
On Wednesday, PM Modi addressed a joint session of the Ethiopian Parliament, becoming the 18th parliament worldwide to be addressed by him. During his speech, he said he felt “at home” in Ethiopia, saying that both the country and his home state of Gujarat are known for their lions.
In India, Vande Mataram has been at the centre of a recent Parliamentary debate on its 150th anniversary. The BJP accused the Congress, under former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, of curtailing the song's stanzas in 1937 to appease politics. Congress leaders such as Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jairam Ramesh defended the decision saying it was aimed to promote unity and inclusivity.
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