India’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Manish Gupta, said recent visits by Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, have further strengthened the long-standing relationship between Ghana and India.
Speaking to journalists in Takoradi as part of his tour of the Western Region, Mr Gupta stated that the partnership now spans multiple areas, including politics, diplomacy, trade, agriculture, defence, and culture.
“Ghana–India relations date back to pre-independence. Some nationals are Ghanaian-Indians, not Indian-Ghanaians, because they’ve been here for four to five generations,” he noted. “Since independence, India’s first Prime Minister had a close relationship with Ghana. Our cooperation in capacity building has only grown stronger.”
Despite geographical distance, Mr Gupta described the relationship as “exceptional and comprehensive,” built on strong people-to-people linkages.
He also highlighted agriculture as a top priority in Ghana, with ongoing discussions aimed at securing Indian investments in research and capacity building. He mentioned specific opportunities such as tomato processing to reduce Ghana’s import bill and spice cultivation in the Volta Region as key targets for collaboration.
Ghana’s ambition of becoming a regional hub for vaccine production and healthcare, he emphasised, aligns with ongoing discussions on support for local research and training. He also referenced ongoing work between India’s Ayush Institute and Ghana’s University of Health and Allied Sciences in the Volta Region to advance herbal medicine development.
In the area of trade, Mr Gupta underscored efforts by the Bureau of Indian Standards and the Ghana Standards Authority to harmonise regulations, a move that supports goals under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Touching on security, he acknowledged growing cooperation in defence, particularly in response to threats along Ghana’s northern borders. “We are working closely on counter-terrorism, border surveillance, and cyber security,” he added.
Moreover, Mr Gupta mentioned progress on a cultural exchange agreement aimed at strengthening ties in arts and tourism. The agreement, he underlined, will promote collaboration between the film industries of both nations and lead to the establishment of a permanent joint commission.
According to the High Commissioner, these initiatives reflect a strategic blueprint to deepen and diversify bilateral engagement.