Prime Minister Modi’s visit a defining moment in Ghana-India relations – Okudzeto Ablakwa

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, has described the upcoming two-day state visit of Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi as “a defining moment in Ghana-India relations,” signalling a new chapter in strategic partnership, trade, and South-South cooperation.

The visit, scheduled for Wednesday, 2nd July, to Thursday, 3rd July, 2025, is the first by an Indian Prime Minister in three decades.

It comes at a time when Ghana and India are strengthening their long-standing ties, driven by mutual interests in trade, technology, agriculture, health, and diplomacy.

Prime Minister Modi’s visit is expected to reaffirm India’s commitment to Ghana’s development and unlock new areas of cooperation between the two nations.

Speaking at a media briefing in Accra on Tuesday, Mr. Ablakwa said Prime Minister Modi’s visit was deeply symbolic and mutually beneficial.

He noted that the visit reaffirmed India’s trust in Ghana as a reliable partner in Africa and would elevate decades of cooperation into a more robust, forward-looking relationship.

“This is not just any visit. This is a state visit, the highest form of diplomatic engagement, and it is historic. It has been 30 long years since an Indian Prime Minister came to Ghana, and we are honoured to receive Prime Minister Modi at such a time,” Mr. Ablakwa stated.

Mr. Ablakwa traced the foundations of the Ghana-India relationship to the pre-independence era, when India opened a consulate in Accra in 1953.

He noted that the bonds between Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, helped shape the Non-Aligned Movement during the Cold War, a legacy that continues to inspire mutual respect and multilateral cooperation.

He said the contemporary relevance of the relationship was reflected in India’s increasing investments in Ghana’s economy and the growing bilateral trade, which currently stood at $3 billion.

“What is unique about our trade with India is that we have a surplus. Ghana’s gold, which remains India’s top interest, is central to this partnership. But beyond trade, India has been a genuine partner in development,” he said.

Mr. Ablakwa catalogued several high-impact projects that India had supported in Ghana through lines of credit and grants.

He mentioned the Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT, which had driven Ghana’s digital economy; the Komenda Sugar Factory and Elmina Fish Processing Plant, which have boosted agro-industrialisation; and the Tema-Mpakadan Railway Line, a strategic regional transport corridor.

Other key projects include the Tamale-Wa Road, a Rural Electrification Project that powered underserved communities, a Foreign Service Institute to train Ghanaian diplomats, and an Agricultural Machinery Assembly Plant supporting mechanised farming.

“These are not ceremonial gestures, these are transformative interventions. India’s support is visible and verifiable,” Mr. Ablakwa said, adding that the total value of India’s lines of credit to Ghana has exceeded $450 million in recent years.

Mr. Ablakwa said Prime Minister Modi will arrive in Accra on Tuesday, July 2 and will be welcomed at the Jubilee Presidential Lounge by President John Dramani Mahama with full state honours, including a military parade and national salute.

This will be followed by a private meeting between the two leaders and expanded bilateral discussions involving ministers from both countries.

The main agenda items include the establishment of a Ghana-India Joint Commission; expansion of cooperation in agriculture, including vaccine production and mechanisation; defence and security collaboration; health, research, and education partnerships; and cultural and trade facilitation agreements.

A number of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed following these engagements including agreements with the Bureau of Indian Standards, the Institute of Traditional and Authentic Medicine, and new cultural exchange frameworks.

Later that evening, Prime Minister Modi will be hosted to a state banquet at Jubilee House where Ghana will confer its highest national honour – the Companion of the Order of the Star of Ghana – on the Indian leader.

“This award is reserved for the most loyal and strategic friends of Ghana. It reflects our gratitude and recognition of Prime Minister Modi’s statesmanship and commitment to Ghana-India ties,” Mr. Ablakwa said.

On Thursday, July 3, Prime Minister Modi will engage with the Indian community in Ghana and pay homage at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, honouring the historic bond between the two founding leaders.

He will later address Ghana’s Parliament, becoming one of the few global leaders to be invited to speak to the House, a gesture the Minister described as “deeply symbolic.”

“The biggest democracy in the world will speak to the most vibrant democracy in Africa. It’s a moment that celebrates democratic values, freedom, and development,” Mr. Ablakwa emphasised.

The Prime Minister Modi’s visit, the Minster said, was not just ceremonial, but consequential as “It is about building the future, about expanding trade, increasing Indian investments in Ghana, and strengthening our place in global diplomacy.”

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