Mahama, Modi commit to deeper Ghana-India partnership in trade, tech, and youth empowerment

President John Dramani Mahama says Ghana is seeking to deepen its partnership with India across key sectors, including trade, agriculture, renewable energy, digital innovation, and youth empowerment, following high-level discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Accra.

Addressing a joint press conference on Wednesday, President Mahama described the Indian leader’s visit as “historic and deeply symbolic,” noting that it reflects both nations’ shared commitment to peace, prosperity, and South-South cooperation.

“We agreed on the urgency of deepening our collaboration in areas of shared strategic interest, particularly in agriculture, agribusiness and renewable energy, digital innovation, health and youth empowerment,” President Mahama stated.

The Indian Prime Minister’s two-day visit to Ghana, the first by an Indian leader in three decades, comes at a time of renewed focus on bilateral cooperation and regional integration. The leaders reaffirmed their countries’ shared aspirations for multilateral reform and greater economic inclusion, especially through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which is headquartered in Accra.

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President Mahama praised India’s longstanding support to Ghana’s development, highlighting infrastructure projects like the Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT, the Komenda Sugar Factory, the Elmina Fish Processing Plant, and the Tema-Mpakadan Railway Line, all backed by Indian concessional loans and technical expertise.

He also acknowledged the contributions of Ghana’s Indian community, describing them as “astute investors” who have played vital roles in sectors such as education, healthcare, commerce, and agribusiness. “Many Indian families made Ghana their home and are now proud citizens of this country,” he noted.

President Mahama emphasised that India’s rapid economic rise offers Ghana and the wider African continent a path to integrate more competitively into global value chains. “As India becomes a stronger global economic force, there are growing opportunities for Africa, and especially Ghana, to leverage our shared history and trade ties,” he said.

In closing, Mahama raised a toast to the enduring Ghana-India relationship, expressing confidence that Prime Minister Modi’s visit would launch a new era of strategic cooperation grounded in mutual respect, shared prosperity, and a common vision for global progress.