New Delhi, Dec. 17 -- India and Ethiopia on Tuesday elevated their times to a strategic partnership as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali discussed ways to ramp up cooperation in areas ranging from economy to defence and technology.

Ethiopia is the second leg of a three-nation tour by Modi, who is visiting the east African country for the first time. Ali personally received Modi on his arrival at the airport in Addis Ababa and then drove the PM to the Science Museum, which showcases how science and innovation are being harnessed for Ethiopia's progress.

During his talks with Ali at the National Palace, Modi referred to the contacts and trade links between the two sides going back thousands of years, and said...