Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Ghanaian counterpart Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa on Tuesday discussed ways to deepen India-Ghana ties, including trade, investment, development, pharmaceuticals, capacity building, defence, technology and people-to-people links. The talks also covered multilateral cooperation and India’s deeper engagement with the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Jaishankar, who arrived in Ghana on the first leg of his three-nation tour of African countries, also met Ghana President John Dramani Mahama and discussed what he described as the strong momentum in bilateral ties. From Ghana, he will travel to Cte d’Ivoire and Ethiopia.
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After his meeting with Ablakwa, Jaishankar said on X that he held wide-ranging discussions with his Ghanaian counterpart. “As Global South partners, both India and Ghana share common development aspirations and historic solidarity,” he wrote. He added, “Also spoke about advancing our multilateral cooperation and deepening India’s engagement with the African Union and ECOWAS.” Ghana is a founding member of ECOWAS, a 15-member regional bloc focused on economic, social and political integration across West Africa. Mahama will assume the presidency of the African Union in 2027.
Ablakwa said India and Ghana had taken their ties to a higher level. “Ghana and India are now high-grade strategic partners with our bilateral relations having been elevated to Comprehensive Partnership last year during the state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he posted on X.
During the visit, the two sides exchanged two memorandums of understanding in the presence of the ministers. One was between the Zoological Survey of India and the University of Ghana for cooperation in academics, scientific research and capacity building. The other was between the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, and the CSIR-Crops Research Institute, Ghana, for cooperation in agricultural research and education.
Earlier, Jaishankar met Mahama and said on X: “An honour to call on President John Dramani Mahama @JDMahama of Ghana this afternoon. Conveyed warm greetings from President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister @narendramodi.” He added, “We spoke about the strong momentum in India – Ghana partnership following the landmark visit of PM Modi last year. Appreciate President Mahama’s vision for Ghana’s development, as well as his positive outlook on deepening our Comprehensive Partnership across diverse domains.”
Jaishankar also joined Ablakwa and Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu in planting a Plumeria sapling as a tribute to ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ and Ghana’s ‘Tree for Life’ initiative. “A symbol of our commitment to sustainable development,” the minister said. Modi visited Ghana in July 2025, in what was his first bilateral visit to the country and the first prime ministerial visit from India to Ghana in three decades. During the three-nation tour, Jaishankar will hold bilateral talks and meet the leadership of all three countries to review ties and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
With PTI Inputs
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
