In a landmark visit to Ghana — the first by an Indian Prime Minister in three decades — Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President John Mahama on Wednesday elevated bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Partnership, pledging to deepen cooperation across key sectors and double trade within five years.
During talks in Accra, the two leaders committed to enhanced collaboration in defence, healthcare, agriculture, fintech, and digital infrastructure. They also witnessed the exchange of four Memoranda of Understanding covering culture, standards, traditional medicine, and bilateral diplomatic engagement mechanisms.
Addressing the Ghanaian Parliament, Prime Minister Modi emphasized Africa’s strategic importance for India, stating: “Our development partnership with Africa is demand-driven, focused on building local capacities and self-reliant ecosystems. Our goal is not merely to invest, but to empower.”
India announced several new initiatives, including doubling the number of scholarships for Ghanaian students, establishing a vocational skill development centre, and offering affordable healthcare through Jan Aushadhi Kendras. Cooperation in vaccine production and agricultural development was also highlighted.
Modi revealed that bilateral trade had already surpassed $3 billion, with Indian investments spread across 900 projects worth $2 billion. “We’ve set a target to double trade in the next five years. In fintech, India is ready to share its experience with UPI,” he said.
Defence and security cooperation will be expanded to include armed forces training, maritime security, defence supplies, and cybersecurity. Modi also announced Indian support in the exploration and mining of critical minerals in Ghana.
On geopolitical issues, the leaders discussed regional stability, counterterrorism, and ongoing conflicts in West Asia and Europe. Modi thanked President Mahama for Ghana’s support following the recent Pahalgam terror attack, reaffirming a shared commitment to fighting terrorism. “Terrorism is the enemy of humanity, and we will strengthen our counter-terrorism cooperation,” he said.
Prime Minister Modi was also conferred the Order of the Star of Ghana, the nation’s highest honour, in recognition of his global statesmanship and contributions to peace and stability. (Source:IE)
