In a powerful diplomatic gesture reflecting India’s growing global engagement, Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SCP) MP Supriya Sule led an all-party Indian delegation to Ethiopia, where she met with former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. The high-level meeting centered on deepening bilateral cooperation, strengthening regional development, and fortifying global resolve against terrorism.
Describing the interaction as "excellent," Sule praised Desalegn’s decades-long leadership that helped steer Ethiopia through economic challenges while delivering consistent double-digit growth and major infrastructure projects. “They have seen a lot of conflict here. They have seen ups and downs in their economy and growth. But under his leadership, they had double-digit growth and many infrastructure projects--be it beautiful dams, railways, industrial parks,” Sule said.
Drawing comparisons between India and Ethiopia’s developmental paths, Sule highlighted the shared vision of progress and resilience. “We had a detailed discussion and told him what happened in Pahalgam. The attack on India's soul is just not accepted. And we all must commit ourselves to zero tolerance against any terrorism anywhere in the world. India will not accept any terrorist attacks anymore,” she stated, referring to the recent attack in Jammu & Kashmir.
Sule also hailed Ethiopia’s inclusion in the G20 during India’s presidency in 2023 as a critical marker in bilateral ties. “It's very important for us to come here today to talk to them. We were very warmly received and reassured that in this journey of eradication of terrorism, Ethiopia still stands together solidly with India,” she added, emphasizing the solidarity between the two nations.
When asked about Ethiopia’s relations with Pakistan, Sule maintained a firm line. “I think globally, everybody agrees that there has to be zero tolerance against terrorism. So I think we are very hopeful that when it comes to terrorism, we all stand united, whoever the other country may be, but we will not accept any terrorism anywhere in the world anymore.”
Echoing Sule’s sentiments, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, also part of the delegation, stressed that India no longer differentiates between terror groups and their state sponsors. “We don't find the difference between terrorist organisations and the states sponsoring terrorism, we see the similarities in them. We will not be restraining ourselves, but for the security of the country, for the safety of the country, we will try to eliminate the threat of this terrorism wherever it is in whichever country that is sponsoring it,” he said.
The delegation, received by Indian Ambassador Anil Kumar Rai at Bole International Airport, is on the second leg of its outreach after concluding a successful visit to South Africa. In Pretoria, the Indian leaders engaged in meaningful discussions with local political figures, intellectual forums, and the Indian diaspora.
The delegation includes prominent Indian leaders from across party lines, including Rajiv Pratap Rudy (BJP), Vikramjit Singh Sahney (AAP), Manish Tewari (Congress), Anurag Singh Thakur (BJP), Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu (TDP), Anand Sharma (Congress), V. Muraleedharan (BJP), and former diplomat Syed Akbaruddin. Their mission: to bolster India’s diplomatic reach while building consensus against global terror threats.
