PM Modi Embarks on Five-Nation Tour to Reinforce Ties Across the Global South

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday departed for an ambitious eight-day, five-nation diplomatic tour covering Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia—his longest overseas visit in over a decade. The journey spans two continents and is aimed at strengthening India’s partnerships across the Global South through enhanced cooperation in trade, technology, energy, and multilateral diplomacy.

Modi’s visit to Ghana on July 2–3 marks his first-ever bilateral trip to the West African nation and comes at the invitation of President John Dramani Mahama. Ghana, one of West Africa’s fastest-growing economies, is a significant trading partner for India, with bilateral trade reaching $3.1 billion, largely driven by India’s import of gold. The Prime Minister described Ghana as a “valued partner in the Global South” and said he looks forward to exploring cooperation in investment, energy, healthcare, security, and capacity building. Modi will also address the Parliament of Ghana, highlighting shared democratic values and historical bonds.

From Ghana, the Prime Minister will travel to Trinidad and Tobago on July 3–4. This visit holds deep emotional and cultural resonance, as T&T is home to the largest Indian diaspora community in the Caribbean, comprising 40–45% of its population. As 2025 marks 180 years since the arrival of the first Indian immigrants, Modi’s visit will commemorate shared ancestry and deepen ties. The country has also become the first in the Caribbean to adopt India’s UPI digital payments platform. Modi will meet with President Christine Carla Kangaloo and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, reaffirming India’s commitment to fostering people-to-people and economic connections.

PM Modi will arrive in Argentina on July 4, marking the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 57 years. The two countries elevated their ties to a strategic partnership in 2019. With Indian investments in Argentina totaling $1.2 billion, and Argentina investing $120 million in India, the focus will be on expanding cooperation in critical minerals, agriculture, energy, tourism, and technology. Modi will hold talks with President Javier Milei, who he had previously congratulated on his election victory in 2023. Argentina is also a key economic partner for India in Latin America and an active G20 collaborator.

The fourth leg of the tour takes the Prime Minister to Brazil from July 5–8, where he will attend the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro before heading to Brasilia for a state visit. This will be PM Modi’s fourth visit to Brazil and the first Indian state visit to the country in nearly six decades. During the BRICS summit, he will participate in discussions on key global issues including AI governance, climate change, global health, multilateralism, and peace and security. On the sidelines, Modi will hold bilateral talks with several world leaders. In Brasilia, he is set to meet President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to expand strategic collaboration and work together on priorities concerning the Global South. Brazil is India’s largest trading partner in South America.

The final stop on the tour will be Namibia, marking PM Modi’s first visit to the country. The trip will also be the first state visit hosted by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah since she assumed office in March. Modi emphasized the historical solidarity between India and Namibia, forged during the struggle against colonialism, and expressed a desire to develop a new roadmap for bilateral cooperation in areas like trade, conservation, regional development, and parliamentary exchange. Modi is also expected to address a Joint Session of the Namibian Parliament. India and Namibia share a unique connection through wildlife conservation, having collaborated on the translocation of cheetahs in 2022.

In his departure statement, PM Modi said, “I am confident that my visits to these five countries will reinforce our bonds of friendship across the Global South, strengthen our partnerships on both sides of the Atlantic, and deepen our engagements in multilateral platforms such as BRICS, the African Union, ECOWAS, and CARICOM.”

This wide-ranging diplomatic initiative reflects India’s growing emphasis on building strategic alliances within the Global South and asserting a leadership role in shaping global conversations on development, trade, sustainability, and governance.