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. 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 India and Ethiopia are "fellow travellers and partners in the Global South". "Both countries are democratic forces committed to peace and the welfare of humanity," he said, speaking in Hindi. Referring to the elevation of bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, Modi said, "This step will give our relations a new energy, a new speed and a new depth." He added that a roadmap will be developed to capitalise on opportunities between the two sides. Ali later conferred his country's highest award, the Great Honor Nishan of Ethiopia, on Modi at a special ceremony at the Addis International Convention Centre. The award was presented to Modi for his contribution towards strengthening the India-Ethiopia partnership and his visionary leadership, the external affairs ministry said....