Prime Minister Narendra Modi held separate bilateral meetings with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in New Delhi on Saturday, with discussions focusing on defence cooperation, investment and emerging areas of economic partnership.
The meetings were held on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Leaders Summit being hosted by India in New Delhi. The summit is bringing together leaders and senior representatives from BRICS member countries as well as partner nations to discuss economic cooperation, global challenges and ways to strengthen collaboration among developing and emerging economies.
The meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali assumes significance as India and Ethiopia have been seeking to expand their bilateral engagement across economic, development and strategic sectors. Ethiopia is one of the newer full members of BRICS, and its participation has added greater importance to India’s engagement with African economies.
According to reports on the discussions, Ethiopia expressed interest in strengthening defence cooperation with India. Areas under consideration include defence personnel training and procurement-related cooperation. Such engagement could provide opportunities for closer interaction between the defence establishments of the two countries.
The discussions also focused on investment opportunities. Ethiopia has shown interest in attracting Indian companies to sectors including mining. Indian businesses have increasingly explored opportunities in African markets, while African countries are seeking investment, technology and expertise to support economic development.
Greater participation by Indian companies in Ethiopia could potentially expand commercial ties between the two countries. Mining and other natural resource-related sectors are among the areas that could attract interest, although specific investment agreements or project commitments would depend on further discussions and formal arrangements.
The Prime Minister also held a separate meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Malaysia is participating in the BRICS Leaders Summit as a partner country. Malaysia became a BRICS partner country in January 2025, and its participation at the New Delhi summit provides another platform for strengthening India Malaysia relations.
The India Malaysia discussions covered economic and strategic cooperation, with emerging sectors such as semiconductors forming part of the investment agenda. The semiconductor industry has become a major focus for India as the country seeks to expand domestic manufacturing capabilities and develop stronger global supply chain partnerships.
Malaysia has an established electronics and semiconductor ecosystem, making cooperation in this area potentially important for both countries. Greater collaboration could include investment, manufacturing partnerships, technology cooperation and integration into regional and global supply chains.
The broader discussions also reflected India’s efforts to deepen economic engagement with Southeast Asian countries. Malaysia is an important member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and has significant trade and investment links with India.
Defence cooperation was another area of interest during the bilateral engagements. Strengthening defence ties with partner countries has become an important component of India’s broader foreign policy, including through training, defence production, procurement and institutional exchanges.
For Ethiopia, defence cooperation could provide opportunities for training and professional exchanges. For India, closer defence partnerships with countries in Africa can contribute to broader strategic engagement with the continent.
The meetings also took place against the backdrop of India’s presidency of BRICS in 2026. India assumed the BRICS chairship on January 1, 2026, and the New Delhi summit is being held on September 12 and 13. The summit’s agenda includes economic cooperation, investment, technology, resilience and reforms in global institutions.
Malaysia’s role as a BRICS partner gives it an opportunity to participate in discussions on economic development and cooperation without being a full member of the grouping. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to participate in bilateral and business meetings during his visit, including discussions with Indian industry representatives.
The BRICS platform has expanded significantly in recent years, with Ethiopia among the countries that became full members as the grouping broadened its representation. The expansion has increased the importance of India’s bilateral engagement with countries across Africa, Southeast Asia and other regions.
For India, the bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit allow New Delhi to pursue country-specific priorities alongside wider BRICS discussions. Defence cooperation, investment and emerging technologies are areas where bilateral partnerships can complement multilateral engagement.
The semiconductor sector is particularly significant because India is seeking to develop a stronger domestic electronics and semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. Partnerships with countries that already have established capabilities could help create additional opportunities for investment and technology cooperation.
Similarly, closer engagement with Ethiopia could provide Indian businesses with opportunities in sectors where the African country is seeking foreign investment. However, individual investment proposals would need to progress through formal negotiations and regulatory processes before becoming confirmed projects.
The meetings with Abiy Ahmed and Anwar Ibrahim therefore form part of India’s broader diplomatic and economic outreach during the BRICS summit. While the discussions indicate areas of mutual interest, they should be distinguished from confirmed investment agreements or completed defence deals.
The engagements demonstrate how India is using its BRICS presidency to strengthen bilateral relationships while also promoting wider economic cooperation. Defence partnerships, investment opportunities and emerging technologies are expected to remain important components of India’s international economic and strategic engagement.