India to Recognise Somaliland? MEA Debunks Fake Claims of Talks, Denies Recognition Move

Several social media posts claiming that India is all set to officially recognise Somaliland have been doing rounds on the internet. India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, January 3, flagged

such social media posts as fake. The MEA clarified that no talks have been held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the President of the Republic of Somaliland. Responding to the claims, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) FactCheck unit said in a post on X, "Fake news alert! The posts below are fake!" The MEA FactCheck also rejected reports that Somalia had recalled its ambassador to India over the alleged recognition move, stating that the online content was false.

The viral posts claimed that PM Modi had a formal discussions with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi and that recognition of Somaliland by "the world's largest democracy" was imminent.Also Read - Where Is Somaliland And Why Did Israel Recognize It As Independent Country?

Notably, Somaliland, the region declared independence from Somalia on May 18, 1991, following the Somali Civil War, has not been recognised internationally, except by Israel. Somaliland, which is arid, lies on the Gulf of Aden across from Yemen and next to small Djibouti, which hosts military bases for the US, China, France and several other countries.Israel had formally acknowledged Somaliland as a sovereign state on December 26, 2025. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also confirmed earlier this week that Somaliland will join the Abraham Accords, saying that Israel wanted to support "a democratic, moderate country" willing to participate in the agreement, according to US media outlet Newsmax. Israel's move had immediately sparked sharp criticism from Somalia and the African Union. However, more than 20 mostly Middle Eastern or African countries and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation have rejected Israel’s recognition “given the serious repercussions of such unprecedented measure on peace and security in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea and its serious effects on international peace and security as a whole.”United States President Donald Trump has also made it clear he has no interest in recognising Somanliland following Israel's lead. When the New York Post asked him whether the US would recognise the breakaway region in the Horn of Africa, Trump replied simply, "No." He then added, "Does anyone know what Somaliland is, really?"The president's remarks came just hours after Israel announced it had become the first nation to formally treat Somaliland as an independent country.