PM Modi conferred Ghana’s highest civilian honour; India, Ghana elevate ties to comprehensive partnership

New Delhi, July 03: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred Ghana’s highest civilian honour — Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana — during his state visit to the West African nation. The award, presented by President John Dramani Mahama, recognises PM Modi’s global leadership and statesmanship.

This marks the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in over three decades. Accepting the honour on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, Modi dedicated it to India’s youth, its cultural diversity, and the enduring friendship between India and Ghana.

During his visit, PM Modi held bilateral talks with President Mahama at the Jubilee House, where both sides agreed to elevate their relationship to a Comprehensive Partnership.

The two leaders engaged in restricted and delegation-level discussions, covering a broad spectrum of issues including trade, agriculture, digital technology, defence cooperation, and development partnerships.

They reaffirmed long-standing ties and pledged to double bilateral trade, which currently stands at over USD 3 billion. Indian companies have invested approximately USD 2 billion across nearly 900 projects in Ghana. India also expressed willingness to share expertise in fintech, particularly the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), healthcare via Jan Aushadhi Kendras, and vaccine production.

In support of Ghana’s “Feed Ghana” agricultural programme, India pledged development assistance and offered to establish a Skill Development Centre to benefit Ghana’s youth. Scholarships under the ITEC and ICCR programmes will be doubled.

The leaders also discussed regional and international developments, including the situation in West Asia, UN reforms, and counter-terrorism efforts. PM Modi thanked President Mahama for his solidarity following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam and reiterated the shared commitment to combat terrorism and uphold global peace.

Four Memorandums of Understanding were signed in the areas of culture, standards, Ayurveda and traditional medicine, and foreign ministry-level engagement through a Joint Commission Mechanism.

The visit also highlights India’s broader engagement with the Global South. PM Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to voicing the concerns of developing nations and welcomed Ghana’s role in the Voice of Global South initiatives. He also highlighted the African Union’s permanent membership in the G20, achieved during India’s G20 presidency.

President Mahama hosted a state banquet in honour of PM Modi, who in turn invited the Ghanaian leader to visit India at a mutually convenient time.

PM Modi is scheduled to meet members of the Indian community in Ghana before continuing on his five-nation tour of the Global South.