The Indian Prime Minister has landed in Amman for the first leg of a diplomatic mission that will also take him to Ethiopia and Oman, with regional security and trade topping the agenda.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched down in Amman on Monday (15 December), kicking off a major three-nation tour meant to strengthen India’s strategic presence in West Asia and Africa. Jordanian Prime Minister Jafar Hassan met him at the airport, marking the start of the first full bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister to the Arab nation in 37 years.
The visit comes on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Jordan. During his two-day stay, Modi is scheduled to hold one-on-one talks with King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein to review bilateral ties and discuss “regional developments,” which is diplomatic code that likely means the ongoing efforts to stabilize Gaza.
Key items on the agenda include a joint address to an India-Jordan business forum aimed at boosting trade, which currently sits at $2.8 billion. Jordan is a critical partner for India’s food security as a major supplier of fertilizers, specifically phosphates and potash. Modi is also set to meet with the 17,000-strong Indian diaspora in the country.
After his time in Amman, Modi heads to Ethiopia (16-17 December) for his first-ever visit to the African nation, before wrapping up the tour in Oman (17-18 December), where he’ll meet Sultan Haitham bin Tarik.
“I am embarking on a three-nation visit… three nations with which India shares both age-old civilizational ties, as well as extensive contemporary engagement,” Modi said in his departure statement.
India’s Ambassador to Jordan, Manish Chauhan, called the visit “truly historic,” noting that while Modi had briefly passed through Jordan in 2018, this full state visit would take relations to a “new level.”
This diplomatic push comes at a sensitive time for the region. The Ministry of External Affairs has indicated that the “Gaza Peace Plan” and broader West Asian security will be major talking points. India recently reaffirmed its support for quick implementation of peace measures in Gaza during conversations with Israeli leadership, positioning itself as a stabilizing voice in the Global South.
The itinerary shows India’s dual strategy: securing energy and resource supply chains in the Middle East while deepening political ties with the African Union, which is headquartered in Ethiopia.
After finishing talks in Jordan, Modi will head to Addis Ababa on Tuesday. He’s expected to sign several Memorandums of Understanding across defense, trade, and technology in all three countries, further cementing India’s “Look West” policy.
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