This article covers the political relationship between India and Eritrea: recognition and diplomatic missions, Foreign Office Consultations, and visits and meetings between ministers and officials. It is based on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief dated 13 April 2026, and it describes relations as of that date.

Recognition and diplomatic missions

According to the MEA brief of April 2026, India formally recognised Eritrea soon after its independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993. The Government of India opened its resident diplomatic Mission in August 2019. Before that, Indian interests in Eritrea were looked after successively by the High Commission of India, Nairobi, and the Embassy of India, Khartoum.

Foreign Office Consultations

An MoU on starting Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between India and Eritrea was signed in New Delhi in April 2018. Three rounds have been held since:

  • The first session was held in Asmara on 29 October 2018, at the level of Joint Secretary (WANA) and the Director General, Asia-Pacific Department, of the Eritrean Foreign Ministry.
  • The 2nd session was held in Delhi on 15 May 2024. The Eritrean side was led by Mr. Ibrahim Osman Mahmud, Director General (Desks), and the Indian side by Dr. M. Suresh Kumar, JS (WANA).
  • The third round was held in Asmara on 5 December 2025. The Indian side was led by Dr M. Suresh Kumar, Joint Secretary (WANA), and the Eritrean side by H. E. Ambassador Estifanos Habtemariam, Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to the brief, the third round reviewed with satisfaction the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, including political, economic, capacity building, health, education, renewable energy, culture and people-to-people ties. During the visit, Dr Suresh Kumar called on H.E. Mr. Osman Saleh Mohammad, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and H.E. Mr. Yemane Gebremeskel, Minister of Information of Eritrea.

Visits and meetings, 2000 to 2011

The brief records a series of ministerial visits and meetings:

  • The Minister of Transport and Communications of Eritrea visited India in 2000 and again in August 2001.
  • The Eritrean Minister of Agriculture, H.E. Mr. Arefaine Berhe, visited India in June 2001, in June 2006, in April 2007 as the Special Envoy of his Government, and in September 2008.
  • The Minister of Education, H.E. Mr. Osman Saleh Mohammed, visited India with Mr. Berhe in June 2006.
  • In September 2006, the Raksha Mantri met the Minister of Health of Eritrea, H.E. Mr. Saleh Maky, on the sidelines of the 61st Session of the UNGA in New York.
  • In December 2009, the then MOS (EA), Smt. Preneet Kaur, met the Foreign Minister of Eritrea, H.E. Mr. Osman Saleh Mohammed, in Nairobi on the margins of a South-South Cooperation meeting.
  • Foreign Minister H.E. Mr. Osman Saleh Mohammad visited India in February 2011 for the India-LDC Ministerial Conference, and again in June 2011, when he met Smt. Preneet Kaur.

India Africa Forum Summit, 2015

The then MOS (EA), Gen. (Retd.) V.K. Singh, visited Eritrea in September 2015 and handed over an invitation from the Prime Minister to the President of Eritrea, H.E. Mr. Isaias Afwerki, to attend the 3rd India Africa Forum Summit (IAFS). Foreign Minister H.E. Mr. Osman Saleh Mohammad led the Eritrean delegation to the 3rd IAFS, held from 26-29 October 2015.

Recent visits

A senior Eritrean delegation comprising H.E. Mr. Osman Saleh, Foreign Minister, and Mr. Yemane Ghebreab, Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, visited India from 7-12 April 2021. The delegation met External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and NSA Shri Ajit Doval, visited AIIMS and IARI, and met Indian business leaders under the auspices of FICCI.

Shri V. Muraleedharan, the then MOS (EA), visited Asmara on 14-15 September 2022. The brief describes this as the first ever full-fledged bilateral visit from India to Eritrea. He called on President H.E. Mr. Isaias Afwerki and Foreign Minister H.E. Mr. Osman Saleh, and discussed strengthening cooperation in energy, health, education, capacity building and agriculture.

Foreign Minister H.E. Mr. Osman Saleh Mohammed met the External Affairs Minister in New Delhi on 1 June 2025. The External Affairs Minister conveyed satisfaction over the deepening of bilateral cooperation, especially in health, education, capacity building and trade and investment, and expressed happiness over the recent training of Eritrean diplomats in India.

Voice of the Global South

Eritrea took part in the Finance Ministers' Session of the Voice of the Global South Summit in January 2023, the Environment Ministers' Session of the 2nd Voice of Global South Summit in November 2023, and the Environment Ministers' Session of the 3rd Voice of Global South Summit in August 2024.