India-Ghana Bilateral Trade and Cooperation
The Prime Minister and Ghanaian President have agreed to double bilateral trade between India and Ghana to $6 billion over the next five years. A significant portion of this increase is expected from India’s imports of Ghanaian critical minerals.
- India is a leading trading partner for Ghana, which was known as the Gold Coast until its independence in 1957.
- Ghana maintains a trade surplus with India, primarily due to India's substantial gold imports, which account for over 70% of total imports from Ghana.
- The leaders emphasized diversifying their trade basket.
Cooperation in Critical Minerals
PM's visit to Ghana, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in three decades, highlighted cooperation in critical minerals.
- India seeks to build partnerships for importing and processing critical minerals due to concerns over China's dominance in this sector.
- Ghana invites Indian investment in exploring and processing its untapped mineral reserves.
Prime Minister's Five-Nation Tour
PM's tour includes visits to Namibia, Argentina, Brazil, and Trinidad and Tobago, focusing on critical minerals.
- Namibia: Indian investments in minerals such as zinc and diamond processing total around $800 million.
- Argentina: Holds significant shale gas, shale oil, and lithium reserves. India is securing concessions for resource extraction.
- Argentina is part of the Lithium Triangle, and India is negotiating mining rights for lithium and other resources.
Strategic Partnerships and Investments
India is actively seeking to bolster its mineral resource base through strategic international partnerships.
- India's public and private firms are exploring opportunities across Argentina's rare earth sector.
- KABIL and Coal India Limited have taken concessions in Argentina’s Catamarca province for lithium extraction and refinement.
PM’s visit underscores India’s strategic focus on securing access to critical minerals, which are pivotal for the nation’s industrial and technological advancement.