Prime Minister Narendra Modi Begins Ghana Visit; Receives Warm Welcome From President Mahama In Accra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Accra on Wednesday, marking his first bilateral visit to Ghana and the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the West African nation in over thirty years.

In a gesture underscoring the significance of the visit, Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama personally welcomed Prime Minister Modi at Kotoka International Airport.

The Prime Minister was received with ceremonial honours before both leaders held a brief conversation at the airport’s Jubilee Lounge.

Ahead of his departure, Prime Minister Modi in his statement stated, “Ghana is a valued partner in the Global South and plays an important role in the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States. I look forward to my exchanges aimed at further deepening our historical ties and opening up new windows of cooperation, including in the areas of investment, energy, health, security, capacity building and development partnership. As fellow democracies, it will be an honour to speak at the Parliament of Ghana.”

PM Modi begins African tour with Ghana as first stop

Ghana is the first destination on Prime Minister Modi’s five-nation tour, which will also include Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia.

Delegation-level discussions will likely take place in Accra later on Wednesday, with both sides expected to review bilateral ties and explore opportunities for expanded collaboration.

The two leaders will hold a one-on-one meeting, followed by a banquet in honour of the visiting dignitary.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Modi will address Ghana’s Parliament and interact with members of the Indian diaspora, which numbers around 15,000 in the country.

Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations) at India’s Ministry of External Affairs, noted, “President John Dramani Mahama has just assumed office in January of this year after a landslide victory, which is why the visit assumes importance. Early in his tenure, the Honourable Prime Minister will be visiting Ghana. So, it will help in the continuity as well as deepen the relationship and to discuss various ways to further strengthen the relationship.”

President Mahama, PM Modi share history of past engagements

President Mahama has previously visited India, including during the India-Africa Forum Summit in 2015, and has held meetings with Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of international events.

The MEA Secretary asserted, “India’s relations with Ghana are historical. In the seven decades of a relationship, it has evolved into a multi-faceted one. We took up the cause of Ghana in the UN much before it won independence in 1957, and we have maintained a close relationship in the multilateral fora on various issues that are important for the global South.”

The ministry outlined that India and Ghana will strengthen economic cooperation amid Ghana’s ongoing economic restructuring.

“Ghana has undergone the IMF conditionalities almost 17 times. So, the economic agenda will dominate the talks. The bilateral trade between India and Ghana is about $3 billion in favour of Ghana because of the large imports of gold. Investments in Ghana are about $2 billion. Both private sector-wise, which is about a billion dollars and the second half, you have lines of credit and the buyer’s credit … activities and projects have been undertaken. We have very strong cooperation in the capacity building under ITEC, and that is continuing to be stronger and deepened,” the senior diplomat made the remarks at a special briefing in New Delhi on Monday.

Ghana is also looking to collaborate with India in vaccine research and hopes to establish a vaccine hub for West Africa. Defence cooperation, digital infrastructure, and access to critical minerals are other key areas on the agenda.

The Ministry of External Affairs stated that this visit reflects the shared resolve of both nations to build stronger bilateral relations and reinforce India’s strategic engagement with ECOWAS and the broader African continent.

Also Read: White House Reaffirms Strong US-India Ties As Indo-Pacific Focus Grows