PM Modi conferred Ghana's national honour 'Officer of the Order of the Star'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with ‘The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’, the nation’s national honour, in recognition of his “distinguished statesmanship and influential global leadership” by President John Dramani Mahama during his official visit to the West African country.

Expressing gratitude, PM Modi posted on X, “Honoured to be conferred with ‘The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’.”

In his acceptance speech, he said the award was not merely a personal achievement, but a tribute to the 140 crore people of India. He dedicated the honour to the country’s youth, its vibrant cultural heritage, and the enduring ties between India and Ghana.

“This award deepens the friendship between our nations and places a new responsibility on me to further enhance our bilateral ties,” Modi remarked, expressing confidence that his “historic” visit would add fresh momentum to the India-Ghana relationship.

The Ministry of External Affairs described the honour as a symbol of the close and growing ties between the two democracies. During his meeting with President Mahama, both leaders held wide-ranging discussions and decided to elevate bilateral relations to the level of a comprehensive partnership.

As part of the visit, India and Ghana signed four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to enhance cooperation across various sectors. These include a Cultural Exchange Programme aimed at deepening collaboration in art, music, dance, literature, and heritage, and an MoU between the Bureau of Indian Standards and the Ghana Standards Authority to strengthen coordination in standardisation and certification processes.

This visit marks the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in three decades.

PM Modi’s Ghana trip is part of a broader five-nation tour. He is scheduled to visit Trinidad and Tobago from July 3-4, followed by stops in Argentina and Namibia. In Namibia, Modi will pay tribute to the country’s founding father and decolonisation icon Sam Nujoma, who passed away on February 8.