Accra (Ghana), July 3 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, the country's highest civilian honour, by President John Mahama on Wednesday (local time).

PM Modi thanked the Ghanaian President for the honour and called it a 'matter of immense pride'.

'It is a matter of immense pride and honour for me to be conferred with Ghana's highest honour... I express my deep gratitude to President Mahama, the Government of Ghana and the people of Ghana. I humbly accept this honour on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians,' PM Modi said.

He said he dedicated the award to the youth of both countries.

'I dedicate this award to the aspirations of our youth, their bright future, our rich cultural diversity and traditions and the historic ties between India and Ghana,' he said.

The award was presented during PM Modi's visit to Ghana, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in more than 30 years.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi held talks with President Mahama, during which the two leaders agreed to elevate their relationship to a 'Comprehensive Partnership'. As part of this decision, both countries will increase cooperation in defence and security under the principle of 'Security through Solidarity'. PM Modi described India as a 'co-traveller' in Ghana's journey toward 'nation-building'.

'The President and I have agreed to elevate our bilateral relationship to the level of a 'Comprehensive Partnership.' India is more than just a partner; it stands as a co-traveller in Ghana's journey toward nation-building,' he said.

'In the defence and security sector, we will progress with the guiding principle of 'Security through Solidarity.' Collaboration will be strengthened in key areas such as armed forces training, maritime security, defence supply chains, and cybersecurity,' he added during the joint press briefing.

As part of the new partnership, PM Modi announced that India will set up a Skill Development Centre for vocational education and support Ghana's 'Feed Ghana' programme.

'Today, we have decided to double the ITEC and ICCR scholarships for Ghana. Work will be done to establish a Skill Development Centre for vocational education of youth,' PM Modi said.

'In the agricultural sector, we would be happy to cooperate with President Mahama's 'Feed Ghana' program. Through Jan Aushadhi Kendra, India proposes to provide 'affordable healthcare, reliable care' to the citizens of Ghana. We discussed cooperation in vaccine production,' he added.

PM Modi said India also plans to double trade with Ghana over the next five years and share its digital payments platform, Bharat UPI.

'We have decided to double our trade within the next 5 years. In the area of FinTech, Bharat UPI will share the digital payment experience with Ghana,' he said.

He also stressed the need for closer cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts.

'We stand united in recognising terrorism as a grave threat to humanity. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Ghana for its valuable cooperation in the fight against terrorism. In this regard, we have resolved to further enhance our mutual collaboration in counter-terrorism efforts,' he said.

President Mahama welcomed PM Modi to Ghana and said the visit reflected the strong historical relationship between the two countries.

'This visit is a testament to the deep rooted historical ties between Ghana and India founded on the visionary leadership of Ghana's first President Kwame Nkrumah and India's former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, as well as the ever-growing bonds of friendship and cooperation that exist between our two sisterly countries for the mutual benefit of our people,' he said.

He said the discussions covered key sectors including agriculture, energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, healthcare, and human resources.

This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in over three decades. The trip is expected to deepen the India-Ghana partnership and reflects New Delhi's continued commitment to Africa and the Global South. (ANI)