Context: The Prime Minister of India is on a five-nation diplomatic tour from July 2 to 9 in Ghana, Trinidad & Tobago, Argentina, Brazil and Namibia aimed at deepening India's bilateral ties and strengthening India’s leadership role in the Global South.
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key Highlights of the visits; Location of the countries. Mains: Significance of the Global South Outreach
This tour is significant for enhancing cooperation in areas like energy, economy, defence, healthcare, and capacity building.
Countries in the Tour: Purpose and Significance
1. Ghana:
- First visit by an Indian PM to Ghana in the last three decades.
- Ghana is one of West Africa’s fastest-growing economies, its relationship with India is marked by robust and expanding trade and investment.
- 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 (ECOWAS).
- India is the largest destination for Ghanaian exports; gold accounts for more than 70% of India’s imports from Ghana.
- India and Ghana have elevated their ties to the level of comprehensive partnership with the resolve to expand bilateral ties in food security, pharmaceuticals, and development cooperation. Ghana plans to emerge as the vaccine hub for Africa.
- India-Ghana cooperation will be enhanced in areas- such as training of armed forces, maritime security, defence supply and cyber security.
- Indian companies will cooperate with Ghana in the exploration and mining of critical minerals. India would share its experience of UPI digital payments with Ghana.
- Prime Minister Modi was conferred with the country’s highest state honour, the Companion of the Order of the Star of Ghana during the visit for his distinguished statesmanship and influential global leadership.
2. Trinidad & Tobago:
- First bilateral visit by an Indian PM after 1999.
- 40-45% of the Indian diaspora in the Caribbean lives in Trinidad and Tobago.
- Both Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and President Christine Carla Kangaloo are of Indian origin.
- The visit will mark 180 years of the arrival of Indian immigrants in T&T.
- The bilateral economic relationship has witnessed steady growth, with total trade reaching $341.61 million in FY 2024-25.
3. Argentina:
- First bilateral visit by an Indian PM in 57 years.
- Both countries will review ongoing cooperation and discuss ways to enhance defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, energy, etc. partnerships.
- Argentina is a key economic partner in Latin America and a G20 member.
- India and Argentina have significantly advanced bilateral cooperation in the mineral resources sector, particularly in lithium, a critical input for India’s green energy transition.
- Argentina is a major supplier of soybean and sunflower oil to India.
- In 2024, India was Argentina’s fifth-largest trading partner and export destination.
4. Brazil:
- Brazil is India’s largest trading partner in South America.
- Indian PM will meet Brazilian President during the BRICS Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro, which will be followed by a State Visit.
- At BRICS, the PM will discuss the reform of global governance, peace and security, strengthening multilateralism, responsible use of AI, climate action, global health, etc.
- For the State Visit, the PM will travel to Brasilia where he will hold bilateral discussions on broadening the Strategic Partnership in areas of mutual interest, including trade, defence, energy, space, technology, agriculture, and health.
5. Namibia:
- Bilateral trade has grown from less than $3 million in 2000 to almost $600 million now.
- Indian companies have invested in mining, manufacturing, diamond processing and services in Namibia.
- Eight cheetahs from Namibia were released by the PM at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh in 2022, the world’s first intercontinental translocation of a major carnivore species.
Significance of India's Global South Outreach
- Reinforces India’s leadership role in the Global South.
- Focus on South-South cooperation.
- Strengthens India's economic diplomacy and strategic alliances.
- Enhances cultural and diaspora linkages.
- Counter China’s influence with democratic and transparent partnerships.
- India reasserting itself as a voice of emerging economies.
Also Read: The Global South: origins and significance
The diplomatic trip aims to reinforce partnerships on both sides of the Atlantic and strengthen India’s collaboration with regional and multilateral platforms including BRICS, the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the Caribbean Community, or CARICOM.