Accra

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has described India and Africa as partners for the long term, saying the two sides must work together on challenges ranging from supply chain resilience to strategic autonomy and cooperation across the Global South.

“We carry Africa in our hearts and will build a partnership not just for today but for generations to come,” Jaishankar said in a social media post on Tuesday, after addressing a gathering at Ghana’s Foreign Service Institute.

Jaishankar arrived in Ghana on Tuesday on the first leg of his three-nation tour of African countries, which also includes Cote d'Ivoire and Ethiopia.

Delighted to interact with members of Indian community and friends of India in Accra. Spoke about how India is seen as a friend and a reliable & effective partner in Ghana. Also appreciated the contributions of the community in deepening our special bonds with a valued partner. 🇮🇳 🇬🇭

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 6, 2026

Earlier in the day, Jaishankar met his Ghanaian counterpart Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa. The two held wide-ranging talks on advancing bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, development, pharmaceuticals, capacity building, defence, technology and people-to-people ties, Jaishankar said in another social media post.

"Also spoke about advancing our multilateral cooperation and deepening India’s engagement with the African Union and ECOWAS," Jaishankar said.

Ghana is a founding member of ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), a 15-member regional bloc dedicated to economic, social and political integration across West Africa.

"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," Ablakwa posted on X.

Prime Minister Modi visited Ghana in July 2025. That was his first-ever bilateral visit to Ghana. It was also the first prime ministerial visit from India to Ghana in three decades.

The two countries also exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Zoological Survey of India and the University of Ghana for cooperation in academics, scientific research and capacity building.

An MoU between the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, and CSIR-Crops Research Institute, Ghana, for cooperation in agricultural research and education was also exchanged in the presence of the two foreign ministers on Tuesday.

India has been stepping up engagement with African countries through trade, investment, development partnerships and cooperation in areas ranging from technology to energy. The continent is important to India both as a growing economic and resource partner and as a key voice of the Global South.

Ghana is particularly significant as it is set to assume the chairmanship of the African Union in 2027.

Jaishankar has also met Ghana President John Dramani Mahama and discussed the strong momentum in India's ties with the African country. "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," Jaishankar posted on X.

"We spoke about the strong momentum in [the] 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," he said.

In his address at the Foreign Service Institute, Jaishankar highlighted India's economic transformation, pointing to progress in the economy, infrastructure, digital technology, manufacturing and entrepreneurship, and said these developments were making India a significant engine of global growth.

“In today’s turbulent times, the challenge before diplomacy is to manage competition without allowing it to become confrontation, and to promote cooperation even when interests diverge,” he said in a social media post.

"National security is linked with supply chain resilience, technological capabilities and the ability to produce essential goods," he said.

The minister added that India values self-sufficiency in key sectors while promoting cooperation in many others.

Jaishankar underscored the power of an accessible digital ecosystem in democratising opportunities and said, “India stands ready to share its experiences with its African partners.”

He also spoke about the importance for India and Africa of converting their youthful populations into productive, skilled and empowered citizens.

The minister highlighted the imperative of supply chain resilience, including for fuel, food, fertiliser and finance, as well as the Global South's right to industrialise.

Jaishankar said the foreign policy outlook should be driven by strategic autonomy. “We believe that partnerships should expand our options, not restrict them.”

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He also reiterated India's commitment to strengthening the voice of the Global South, citing the inclusion of the African Union in the G20 during India's presidency as an example.

The minister also interacted with members of the Indian community in Accra. “Spoke about how India is seen as a friend and a reliable & effective partner in Ghana. Also appreciated the contributions of the community in deepening our special bonds with a valued partner,” he said in another post on X.