Indians gathered at the Indian Embassy in Addis Abeba today in opulent attire to celebrate their 77th Independence Day.
The audience of residents and members of the Indian community who had gathered on this occasion was addressed by Mr. Shri Robert Shetkintong, the Indian Ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union.
India is a country with modern aspirations, the envoy said. Its constitution was developed as a result of its democratic government and culture, which respects traditional values.
“A nation is still fairly young at 77. He asserted that India has the resolve, motivation, intellect, aspirations, and unity to take the twenty-first century.
He said, “We now have the chance to take on the difficulties of governance by reforming policies, practises, and systems of government in order to satisfy the enormous ambitions of our people.
According to H. Venkatachalam, the second secretary of the Indian embassy, the Ethiopian Indian minority has significantly contributed to India’s progress. The most significant contribution, in my opinion, is that every Indian represents India in Ethiopia as a brand ambassador. By performing good deeds and making gifts to deserving causes in Ethiopia, we are promoting a favourable image of Indians and Indians. That, in my opinion, has contributed most to India’s achievements in the modern era. There are also many more fields and industries where this kind of impact is obvious.
According to Subhedu Mohpatra, a representative of CSM Technology Company, “the 15th of August marks the celebration of an important milestone in the history of the Republic of India.” It serves as a reminder of the sacrifices and liberation fight carried out by India’s founding fathers, who significantly influenced the growth of the nation and the principles of democracy. Thanks to their vision, the Indian people currently live in a developing country that upholds its diversity, inclusivity, and unity.
As an ICS student in the eleventh grade named Sarah Robert put it, “She is being proud to be Indian and feels happy about the independence day that tells her how India is a great country and the past generation paid heavy price to liberate there country.”
The fledgling nation’s tricolour flag, which is saffron, white, and emerald green, is flown to commemorate its independence from British rule. Ceremonies like flag-raising are traditional over the bulk of the country.
In addition to speeches by the Prime Minister and President of India, Independence Day celebrations include the hoisting of the flag, a parade, fireworks, singing of the national anthem Jana Gana Mana, and patriotic songs.
It is possible to date the centuries-old commercial and trading relations between India and Ethiopia using more than 2000 years of written history.
Schloars reported that around 120 years ago, 150 commercial Indian families from Gujarat State migrated in Ethiopia and primarily settled in Addis Abeba and Dire Dawa. About 60 of them made the decision to settle permanently in Ethiopia.
5,000–6,000 Indian families are currently settled in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia’s exports to India accounted for almost 80 million USD of the USD 2.8 billion in bilateral trade between Ethiopia and India in 2022, according to the National Bank of Ethiopia. Around 75.13 million of the 1.8 billion dollars in bilateral trade between Ethiopia and India in 2021 came from exports to India.
India exports a variety of goods, including machinery, equipment, pharmaceuticals, raw and semi-finished iron and steel products, and metal goods. Among Ethiopia’s main exports to India were pulses, precious and semi-precious stones, vegetables and seeds, leather, and spices.
India is Ethiopia’s second-largest trading partner, accounting for 10.2% of all foreign trade.