ACCRA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was Thursday (India time) conferred with Ghana’s national honour, “The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana,” by President John Dramani Mahama. The award recognises PM Modi’s exceptional leadership and influential global presence and marks a significant milestone in India-Ghana relations.
Accepting the award, PM Modi dedicated it to the aspirations of Indian youth, cultural traditions, and historical ties between Ghana and India.
“This honour is also a responsibility; to keep working towards a stronger India-Ghana friendship. India will always stand with the people of Ghana and continue to contribute as a trusted friend and development partner,” Modi said in his post on handle X.
Modi’s ongoing two-day visit to Ghana, first by an Indian Prime Minister in the last three decades, has paved the way for a new era of cooperation between India and Ghana, with both nations committed to deepening their bilateral ties.
The Prime Minister also thanked the people and government of Ghana for this special gesture.
Noting that the shared democratic values and traditions of the two countries would continue to nurture the partnership, the Prime Minister stated that the award further deepens the friendship between the two countries and places new responsibility on him to embrace and advance bilateral ties.
Prime Minister Modi affirmed that he was confident that his historic State Visit to Ghana would impart a new momentum to India-Ghana ties.
“This honour is also a responsibility, to keep working towards a stronger India-Ghana friendship. India will always stand with the people of Ghana and continue to contribute as a trusted friend and development partner,” he said.
During his visit, the Prime Minister also held talks with the Ghana President Mahama.
“We have elevated our ties to a Comprehensive Partnership, which will be beneficial for the people of our nations. We discussed ways to improve trade and economic linkages,” Modi said in his post.
Cooperation in FinTech, skill development, healthcare and other such sectors were also deliberated upon.
India and Ghana also see immense scope in working closely in areas such as critical minerals, defence, maritime security and energy. Enhancing cultural linkages was also talked about during the conversation between the two leaders.
India-Ghana ties elevated to comprehensive partnership
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ghana President John Dramani Mahama, Thursday (India time), agreed to cooperate in the fight against terrorism and assented to elevate India-Ghana bilateral relationship to a “Comprehensive Partnership,” focusing on economic cooperation, defense, energy, and digital infrastructure.
The decisions were arrived at after Prime Minister Modi held delegation-level talks with Ghana President Mahama in Accra during his ongoing two-day visit to the West African nation.
The meeting was a significant milestone in India-Ghana relations, with both nations committed to strengthening their strategic partnership.
During the meeting, PM Modi and President Mahama agreed to double the bilateral trade, with Indian companies investing in various sectors. It was agreed that India would provide support to Ghana in areas like healthcare, education, and skill development.
The two nations will also enhance cooperation in defense and security, including training and cybersecurity.
“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,” PM Modi had said ahead of his visit.
The two leaders discussed global issues, including UN reforms, and agreed to strengthen their cooperation in the fight against terrorism. PM Modi thanked President Mahama for Ghana’s solidarity in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.
Four MoUs were exchanged following the talks between the two leaders, covering areas such as promoting cultural exchange and understanding between the two nations, enhancing cooperation in standardisation, certification, and conformity assessment, collaborating in traditional medicine education, training, and research, and institutionalising high-level dialogue and review of bilateral cooperation mechanisms.
The visit marked a significant step in strengthening India-Ghana relations, with both nations committed to deepening their bilateral ties.
As PM Modi said during the ongoing visit, “Our nations look forward to working together to strengthen our long-standing relationship and explore fresh avenues for collaboration.”
Agencies