Syllabus: 

GS2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Context:

Recently, the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi was today conferred with the national honour of Ghana - Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana - by the President of Ghana, in recognition of his distinguished statesmanship and influential global leadership.

More on the News 

• This is the first visit by an Indian PM to Ghana in the last three decades. 
• India and Ghana share a diplomatic history that dates back to 1953, when India opened a representative office in Accra, formalising full diplomatic relations in 1957, the same year Ghana gained independence. 
• Both nations are founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement, a group of states that are not formally aligned with or against any significant power bloc

Key Outcomes 

India extended support in several priority sectors, with a focus on capacity building and public service delivery. 

• Both countries have set a target to double bilateral trade with each other over the next five years. 
• India will help implement its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system in Ghana to boost digital public infrastructure and reduce transaction costs. 
• Plans were announced to introduce Jan Aushadhi Kendras to improve access to afford medicines. 
• India also proposed assistance for developing a vaccine manufacturing hub to serve the West African region.
• A vocational Skill Development Centre will be set up in Ghana with Indian support. Technical assistance will also be offered for the country’s ‘Feed Ghana’ initiative to enhance agricultural resilience.

Memorandum of understanding (MoU): 

• MoU on Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP): To promote greater cultural understanding and exchanges in art, music, dance, literature, and heritage.
• MoU between Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) & Ghana Standards Authority (GSA): Aimed at enhancing cooperation in standardisation, certification, and conformity assessment.
• MoU between Institute of Traditional & Alternative Medicine (ITAM), Ghana and Institute of Teaching & Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), India: To collaborate in traditional medicine education, training, and research.
• MoU on Joint Commission Meeting: To institutionalise high-level dialogue and review bilateral cooperation mechanisms on a regular basis.

Significance of Ghana for India 

• Gateway to West Africa: Ghana is a valued partner in the Global South and plays an important role in the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States. 

Economic significance: 

• India is among the top investors in Ghana, with more than $1.2 billion channelled into sectors such as agro-processing, mining, manufacturing, construction, and ICT.
• India-Ghana trade has crossed USD 3 billion, with Indian companies investing over USD 2 billion in nearly 900 projects in the African country.
• Ghana’s rich natural resources, especially gold, meet India’s growing demand for industrial use and jewellery, with gold making up over 70% of India’s imports from the country.
• Ghana's emergence as the continent's eighth-largest oil producer makes it an attractive partner for India's energy security and resource diversification strategies.  
• Ghana is a key destination for Indian pharmaceutical exports, which are critical to the country’s healthcare system. 
• Ghana received a total of 6.52 lakh doses of Made-in-India COVID-19 vaccines, including six lakh through COVAX and 50,000 doses through a grant.

Defence and security cooperation: 

• Partnering with Ghana on defence cooperation offers opportunities to expand its defence exports and security partnerships in Africa.
• Ghana’s counterterrorism efforts and leadership in the Accra Initiative make it a key security partner for India in West Africa.

Sources: PIB

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2141692