Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to begin a five-nation tour starting July 2, with his first stop in Ghana, West Africa. This will be the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in over 30 years. During the two-day visit, PM Modi will meet Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama, address the country’s Parliament, and interact with the Indian community there.
This visit is seen as a major step in strengthening India-Africa ties. Ghana plays an important role in India’s Africa strategy. It supplies gold, bauxite, timber, cocoa, and cashew—key resources for industry and food security. In return, India exports pharmaceuticals, grains, machinery, steel, and textiles to Ghana. Bilateral trade currently stands at around US$3 billion. India is the largest importer of Ghanaian gold, which makes up over 70% of its imports from the country, according to reports.
Ghana is Africa’s top gold producer and ranks sixth globally. However, it faces challenges due to illegal gold mining. The rising gold prices and high youth unemployment have made this issue worse, despite military efforts to stop it.
Currently, more than 15,000 people of Indian origin live in Ghana. Some families have been there for over four generations and have gained Ghanaian citizenship.
PM Modi’s visit is also significant as it comes early in President Mahama’s term, who assumed office in January after a major election win in last Decembers general elections.. The agenda for talks includes cooperation in agriculture, defense, vaccine development, and digital transformation. Ghana is interested in becoming a vaccine hub for West Africa with India’s help.
This visit reflects India’s long-standing commitment to Africa. Over the past 11 years, India has positioned itself as a strong partner of the continent. Indeed, until Ghana’s recent financial services sector reforms, India’s state owned Bank of Baroda operated in Ghana although it opted to relinquish its license in 2019 rather than engage in a statutorily demanded 233% increase in its capital, since it had opened shop in the country as India’s sign of bilateral support rather than as a bank with a well – planned strategy and commercial objective game plan..\
PM Modi’s Ghana trip is expected to open a new chapter in India-Ghana relations, with the West African country seen as a key strategic partner and a gateway for India’s outreach in the region.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin a week-long, five-nation tour on July 2, marking his longest foreign visit in over a decade. The tour will cover Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia, with a focus on expanding India’s cooperation in critical minerals, energy, and digital infrastructure.
Modi’s visit will begin in Ghana. From there, he will travel to Trinidad and Tobago, followed by Argentina. He will then head to Brazil to attend the 17th BRICS Summit and conclude his tour in Namibia on July 9.
