India has moved to deepen its partnership with Ghana across defence, mining, health and digital sectors, as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar wrapped up a two-day official visit to Accra this week. The two sides signed agreements on biodiversity and agricultural research and training, and Ghana formally joined the India-led International Big Cat Alliance.
Jaishankar, who arrived in Accra on October 6 on the first leg of a three-nation tour of African countries, held talks with Ghana's Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and called on President John Dramani Mahama. He said the visit was aimed at following up on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Ghana last year, which elevated the relationship to a comprehensive partnership.
"My main purpose of coming here was to follow up on Prime Minister Modi's historic visit last year. What we are trying to do is that, now that we have established a comprehensive partnership, we need to find new areas of cooperation and deepen our long-standing partnership," Jaishankar said alongside Ablakwa in Accra.
New areas of cooperation
The discussions covered pharmaceuticals, health, defence, mining, railways, technology and people-to-people ties, according to Jaishankar. He drew parallels between development programmes in the two countries — Ghana's "Actra reset" health programme alongside India's Ayushman Bharat, and Ghana's "one million coders" goal alongside India's Digital India push — arguing that the two Global South nations could pool their experience.
Ghana's Foreign Minister said the two countries were now "high-grade strategic partners", noting that bilateral relations were elevated to a comprehensive partnership during Modi's visit last year.
Big Cat Alliance boost
In a highlight of the visit, Jaishankar received Ghana's formal Instrument of Acceptance for the International Big Cat Alliance, the India-led global conservation coalition aimed at protecting big cat species and their habitats. He also paid homage at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial in Accra.
Jaishankar said the two sides also discussed multilateral cooperation, including deeper Indian engagement with the African Union and ECOWAS, the 15-member West African regional bloc of which Ghana is a founding member. Ghanaian President Mahama is set to assume the African Union presidency in 2027.
Sources:
- The Hindu BusinessLine: India, Ghana discuss deeper ties and African Union, ECOWAS engagement
- The Tribune: Ghana joins India-led International Big Cat Alliance during EAM Jaishankar's visit to Accra
Jaishankar, who arrived in Accra on October 6 on the first leg of a three-nation tour of African countries, held talks with Ghana's Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and called on President John Dramani Mahama. He said the visit was aimed at following up on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Ghana last year, which elevated the relationship to a comprehensive partnership.
"My main purpose of coming here was to follow up on Prime Minister Modi's historic visit last year. What we are trying to do is that, now that we have established a comprehensive partnership, we need to find new areas of cooperation and deepen our long-standing partnership," Jaishankar said alongside Ablakwa in Accra.
New areas of cooperation
The discussions covered pharmaceuticals, health, defence, mining, railways, technology and people-to-people ties, according to Jaishankar. He drew parallels between development programmes in the two countries — Ghana's "Actra reset" health programme alongside India's Ayushman Bharat, and Ghana's "one million coders" goal alongside India's Digital India push — arguing that the two Global South nations could pool their experience.
Ghana's Foreign Minister said the two countries were now "high-grade strategic partners", noting that bilateral relations were elevated to a comprehensive partnership during Modi's visit last year.
Big Cat Alliance boost
In a highlight of the visit, Jaishankar received Ghana's formal Instrument of Acceptance for the International Big Cat Alliance, the India-led global conservation coalition aimed at protecting big cat species and their habitats. He also paid homage at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial in Accra.
Jaishankar said the two sides also discussed multilateral cooperation, including deeper Indian engagement with the African Union and ECOWAS, the 15-member West African regional bloc of which Ghana is a founding member. Ghanaian President Mahama is set to assume the African Union presidency in 2027.
Sources:
- The Hindu BusinessLine: India, Ghana discuss deeper ties and African Union, ECOWAS engagement
- The Tribune: Ghana joins India-led International Big Cat Alliance during EAM Jaishankar's visit to Accra
