The India Ethiopia JDC meeting was held in Addis Ababa on Monday. It was the second sitting of the Joint Defence Cooperation mechanism between the two countries, according to the Ministry of Defence.

India Ethiopia JDC meeting covers training, exercises and peacekeeping

The two countries discussed military training, military exercises, medical cooperation, peacekeeping and defence industries. Both sides agreed to expand and deepen cooperation through exchanges of personnel from training institutes, delegation visits and experience-sharing interactions. They will also explore avenues for joint ventures in defence production.

Who co-chaired the Addis Ababa talks

Joint Secretary Sanjay Kumar co-chaired the meeting with Major General Teshome Gemechu of Ethiopia.

Maj Gen Teshome Gemechu is Director General for Defence Foreign Relations and Military Cooperation in Ethiopia. The Indian delegation comprised officers from the Department of Defence and Air Headquarters. India's Ambassador to Ethiopia, Devesh Uttam, also took part.

A mechanism built on the February 2025 defence MoU

The India Ethiopia JDC meeting is part of the institutional mechanism set up when the Defence Ministers of both countries signed the Defence Cooperation MoU in February 2025. The first JDC followed in New Delhi in October 2025, co-chaired by Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) Amitabh Prasad and Maj Gen Teshome Gemechu. That round looked at training, joint exercises, medical collaboration and defence industry engagement.

Other defence committees India has convened this year

India held inaugural Joint Defence Committee meetings with Kuwait in August and Morocco in September, both in New Delhi. In July, New Delhi also hosted Ivory Coast's air force chief.

A partnership that goes back to 1958

Ethiopia is an important defence partner of India, and the partnership began in 1958, according to the Ministry of Defence. When the Prime Minister visited Ethiopia in December 2025, the bilateral relationship was elevated to a Strategic Partnership.