As PM Modi Arrives In Ghana, Locals Chant 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday was welcomed in an interesting way by the members of the Indian community at a hotel in Accra, as he arrived in Ghana. Ghana President John Dramani Mahama welcomed Mr Modi at the Kotoka International Airport in a special gesture showcasing the significance of the landmark visit.

In a heartfelt gesture, a group of young Ghanaian children greeted him with the devotional chant "Hare Rama Hare Krishna". Hundreds of people, including locals, started chanting "Modi-Modi", "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" and "Vande Mataram" as soon as Mr Modi arrived at the hotel.

This is his first ever bilateral trip to the African nation and the first Prime Ministerial visit from India to Ghana after three decades.

Over 15,000 Indians live in the West African country, with some being in Ghana for over 70 years. Some families are now the fourth generation in Ghana with some also acquiring Ghanaian citizenship.

During the interaction, Mr Modi could be seen holding a child in his arms which turned out to be an unforgettable moment for the Indian family.

After the welcome, the two leaders sat down for an interaction at the Jubilee Lounge of the airport.

"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. I look forward to my exchanges aimed at further deepening our historical ties and opening up new windows of cooperation, including in the areas of investment, energy, health, security, capacity building and development partnership. As fellow democracies, it will be an honour to speak at the Parliament of Ghana," Mr Modi said in his departure statement earlier in the day.

After Ghana, Mr Modi will visit Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), Argentina, Brazil and Namibia during his five-nation visit. 

The delegation-level are scheduled to be held in Accra later in the evening, India time, as both countries review the bilateral relations and discuss various ways to strengthen and deepen partnerships. The Prime Minister will also have a one-on-one meeting with his counterpart which will be followed by a banquet dinner in honour of Mr Modi.

On Thursday, Mr Modi will be addressing Ghana's Parliament and will also be interacting with the Indian community in the country.

The Ministry of External Affairs detailed that both the countries will work towards boosting economic cooperation as Ghana undergoes a deep economic restructuring.

The Ghanaian leader is also quite keen to engage with India, especially in the field of vaccine development and creating a vaccine hub in the country for not just Ghana but also the West Africa context. Defence cooperation will become an important item on the agenda along with the critical minerals and the digital public infrastructure.

This visit, said the MEA, reaffirms the shared commitment of the two countries to deepen bilateral ties and strengthen India's engagement with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union.