Ghana shows 'clear interest' in defence support from India: MEA secretary

Ministry of External Affair's Secretary (Economic Relations) Dammu Ravi stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ghanaian President John Mahama held detailed discussions on increasing defence cooperation between the two countries, with Ghana showing "clear interest" in India's support for equipment, training, and sourcing of defence systems.

Speaking at a press briefing, Ravi said, "The third area is in the area of defence cooperation. There are concerns for Ghana in terms of security. Terrorism from the Northern region, the Sahel region and piracy in the seas are of concern. There is clear interest in having India's support in terms of equipment, training of the personnel, and being able to source equipment from India, which has now become a leader in defence exports." 

 

He also said that President Mahama expressed solidarity with India following the terror attack in Pahalgam in April that claimed 26 lives.

"There was also concern about the way terrorism is affecting the world. President Mahama clearly expressed solidarity with India. He condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, and he was unequivocal in his support for India and his solidarity in its fight against terrorism," Ravi added.

India and Ghana also signed four Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) during Prime Minister Modi's visit to strengthen cooperation in several key areas, including culture, healthcare, standardisation, and institutional dialogue. 

 

"After the delegation-level talks, there was the signing of four Memoranda of Understanding, one to establish the Joint Commission meeting at the Foreign Office level. Second is traditional medicine, where there is scope for both sides to exchange expert training. The third is the cultural exchange programme, where there's hope that this will encourage cultural exchanges and tourism. The fourth one is in the area of standard setting," Ravi stated.

The MoUs include a Cultural Exchange Programme aimed at promoting understanding and exchanges in art, music, dance, literature, and heritage. The second agreement, signed between the Bureau of Indian Standards and the Ghana Standards Authority, seeks to enhance cooperation in standardisation, certification, and conformity assessment. 

 

The third agreement was signed between Ghana's Institute of Traditional and Alternative Medicine and India's Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda to promote collaboration in traditional medicine education, training, and research.

The fourth MoU sets up a Joint Commission Meeting to institutionalise high-level dialogue and ensure regular reviews of bilateral cooperation.