Narendra Modi
India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has reaffirmed his country’s long-standing commitment to Africa’s development, highlighting Ghana’s strategic role in promoting sustainability, clean energy, and democratic collaboration during an address to Parliament on Thursday.
Speaking before a packed chamber of Ghana’s legislature, including dignitaries, diplomats, and civil society representatives, Prime Minister Modi applauded Ghana’s leadership in hosting the African Regional Meeting of the International Solar Alliance this September, a platform he described as “a reflection of our shared belief that the world is one family.”
According to him, the alliance, which promotes solar energy and sustainability across continents, is one of several global initiatives India is spearheading.
Mr. Modi also mentioned the International Big Cat Alliance, aimed at protecting wildlife, and the Global Biofuel Alliance, which advances clean biofuels to reduce global carbon emissions.
“These platforms represent India’s vision for a greener, more secure planet,” Modi said, adding that Ghana’s participation signals a united front for global change.
He underscored India’s transformation over the last decade, noting the country’s political stability, rapid economic growth, and technological innovation. “India is the fastest-growing emerging economy and is set to become the third-largest economy soon. We already contribute nearly 16% to global growth,” PM Modi announced.
India’s innovation sector, he noted, has exploded, with the country now boasting the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world.
He also pointed to Indian leadership in science and space, noting with pride that India recently landed on the moon and now has an astronaut conducting experiments on a space station.
“Coincidentally, I was in Africa when our Chandrayaan mission landed on the moon’s south pole, and I am once again in Africa today as our astronaut works in orbit. This is no ordinary coincidence, it reflects our shared journey and future,” he remarked.
Mr. Modi again underscored India’s commitment to Africa’s development under the Agenda 2063 framework, emphasising that India’s development cooperation is demand-driven and focused on empowering local communities. “Our aim is not just to invest, but to help build self-sustaining ecosystems,” he stressed.
He cited projects such as the Tema-Mpakadan railway line, India’s largest infrastructure project in the West African region, and Ghana’s emerging potential as an IT and innovation hub.
On trade, Mr. Modi praised Ghana’s leadership under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), describing it as a “powerful mechanism for economic integration.”
He reaffirmed India’s interest in supporting Ghana’s ambitions for regional industrialisation.
The Indian leader also touched on shared democratic values, emphasizing collaboration between the Electoral Commissions of both countries and recalling the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meeting in Accra in 2023, which hosted India’s largest-ever parliamentary delegation to Ghana.
He welcomed the establishment of the Ghana-India Parliamentary Friendship Society and invited Ghanaian MPs to visit India’s new Parliament, where recent reforms have reserved one-third of seats for women. “You will witness spirited and passionate debates, the hallmark of Indian democracy, just as energetic as your beloved Black Stars on the football field,” he quipped.
Quoting Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Modi concluded his speech on an emotional note: “I am not African because I was born in Africa, but because Africa was born in me.” He added, “In the same way, India carries Africa in its heart.”
He urged both nations to build a partnership not just for today, but for generations to come, asserting, “Together, we will shape a future of promise and shared prosperity.”
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House