Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday departed from Ghana’s capital, Accra, after concluding the first leg of his five-nation tour. He will now travel to Trinidad and Tobago for the second leg of his visit, scheduled from July 3 to July 4.
“Leaving for Trinidad & Tobago. Later this evening, I look forward to attending a community programme in Port of Spain. Tomorrow, I will be addressing the Parliament of Trinidad & Tobago. Looking forward to deepening ties with a valued partner in the Caribbean, with whom we share very old cultural linkages,” PM Modi said in a post on X.
https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1940744297738891661
This was PM Modi’s first visit to the West African nation and the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in over three decades.
Before his departure, the PM interacted with members of the Indian diaspora, who welcomed him warmly.
In Accra, PM Modi held delegation-level talks with Ghana’s President, John Mahama, to review the bilateral partnership and discuss ways to enhance cooperation in sectors such as economy, energy, defence and development.
During talks with President Mahama, PM Modi announced the elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Partnership, citing “immense scope” for collaboration in critical minerals, defence, maritime security and energy.
In a post on X, the PM said, “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 discussed.”
Describing the talks as “extremely fruitful”, PM Modi said the discussions focused on strengthening trade and economic ties. “We discussed ways to improve trade and economic linkages. Cooperation in FinTech, skill development, healthcare and other such sectors were also deliberated upon,” the PM added.
During the visit, the Prime Minister was conferred with the “Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana”, the country’s highest civilian honour, by President Mahama.
PM Modi thanked Ghana for the award, calling it a “matter of immense pride”. “It is a matter of great pride and honour for me to be conferred with Ghana’s national award, The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, by the President. I express my heartfelt gratitude to President Mahama ji, the Government of Ghana and the people of Ghana. I humbly accept this honour on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians,” he said.
PM Modi dedicated the honour to the youth of both countries, saying, “I dedicate this award to the aspirations of our youth, their bright future, our rich cultural diversity and traditions, and the historic ties between India and Ghana.”
The PM also addressed Ghana’s Parliament, where he described the relationship between India and Ghana as boundless, and said the friendship between the two nations was “sweeter than Ghana’s famous Sugar Loaf Pineapple”.
Additionally, the PM visited the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra to pay tribute to Ghana’s founding President and a leading figure in Africa’s independence movement.
PM Modi’s visit to Trinidad and Tobago will be his first as Prime Minister and marks the first bilateral Prime Ministerial visit to the country since 1999.
The Prime Minister will also visit Argentina, Brazil and Namibia as part of his tour. He will travel to Brazil from July 5 to 8 to attend the 17th BRICS Summit 2025, before proceeding on a state visit to the South American nation.
(ANI)
