PM Modi’s 5-nation, 8-day tour: Which nations is he visiting, why they matter

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has embarked on a long diplomatic tour today (June 2).

Modi’s five-nation tour, his longest diplomatic foray in nearly a decade, will see him visit Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia.

The tour, which begins in Ghana, will conclude in Namibia on June 10.

But what do we know about the details of the trip? And why are these nations important?

Let’s take a closer look

Ghana

Modi’s will kick off his trip overseas in Ghana on July 2 and 3.

This will be Modi’s first visit to the West African nation as prime minister.

No Indian prime minister has visited Ghana for nearly three decades.

Modi will meet Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama, who recently took office after a huge win at the polls.

Mahama previously visited India in 2015 for the India-Africa Forum Summit.

The two men will discuss how to deepen ties and the possibility of a vaccine hub being created in Ghana.

Agriculture, defence and critical minerals will also be on the agenda.

A number of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed.

Modi is also set to address Ghana’s Parliament.

India and Ghana established diplomatic relations in 1957 – immediately after it achieved independence.

In fact, India had opened a representative office in Accra in 1953.

Ghana is an important trading partner for India and one of West Africa’s fastest growing nations.

Bilateral trade between the countries was at $3.13 billion in 2024-25.

India is the third-largest investor in Ghana.

India imports large quantities of gold, petroleum and cashews from Ghana.

It exports construction machinery, medicine and cars to Ghana.

Trinidad and Tobago

Modi will then head to Trinidad and Tobago on July 3.

He is making the trip after an invitation from Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

Both Persad-Bissessar and President Christine Carla Kangaloo are of Indian-origin.

This will be Modi’s first bilateral visit to Trinidad and Tobago as prime minister.

An Indian prime minister last visited the nation in 1999.

Modi is expected to hold wide-ranging talks with both of them.

Pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, digital public infrastructure, agriculture, disaster resilience, education and culture are on the agenda.

Trinidad and Tobago last year adopted India’s flagship UPI platform

.

Here too, Modi is expected to address a joint session of parliament.

Trinidad and Tobago is home to a huge Indian population.

Nearly half the Indian population of the Caribbean lives in the country.

Modi’s visit comes on the 180th anniversary of Indian immigrants arriving to Trinidad and Tobago.

The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1962.

The two nations in 1997 signed a trade deal that accorded each other Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status.

Bilateral trade between the two nations touched $341.61 million in 2023-2024.

India exports vehicles, rolling stock, parts and accessories, iron and steel, pharma and plastic to Trinidad and Tobago.

India imports mineral fuels, mineral oils, mineral waxes ores,  and aluminium from Trinidad and Tobago.

Argentina

Modi on July 4 will head to Argentina.

Modi is making the trip on the invite of President Javier Milei.

This will be the first bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister since 1968.

Modi and Milei will hold wide-ranging talks in the areas of food, defence, digital technology, telemedicine, infrastructure, mining, technology, science, green and renewable energy.

The two countries have already made strides when it comes to cooperation on mining.

The two leaders previously met at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro in November 2024.

The two countries elevated their relationship to that of a strategic partnership in 2019.

Bilateral trade between India and Argentina touched $6.4 billion in 2022.

India that year maintained its status as Argentina’s fourth-largest trading partner.

India exports petroleum oils, agro chemicals, yarn-fabric-madeups, organic chemicals, bulk drugs and two-wheelers to Argentina.

It imports vegetable oils (soybean and sunflower), finished leather, cereals, residual chemicals and allied products and pulses from Argentina.

Brazil

Modi will then head to Brazil on July 6.

Modi is set to attend the Brics summit in Rio de Janeiro – which will be followed by a state visit.

This will be Modi’s fourth visit to Brazil.

At Brics, the leaders will hold talks on governance, peace, security, climate change and AI.

Modi will speak on terrorism including the recent Pahalgam attack and India’s response.

India will contribute to the Leaders’ Declaration and coming up with an outline for climate finance and socially determined diseases.

Modi on July 8 will meet President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brasilia.

The two men will discuss how to increase cooperation in a number of fields including energy, defence, agriculture, minerals and digital infrastructure.

India and Brazil established diplomatic relations in 1948.

Bilateral trade between the two countries stands at $12 billion.

Brazil is India’s largest trading partner in South America.

India in 2021 was Brazil’s fifth-largest trading partner.

India exports petroleum products, agro-chemicals (insecticides, fungicides), chemicals, pharmaceuticals, engineering products, textured filament yarn, and unwrought aluminium to Brazil.

India imports crude oil, soya oil, gold, cane sugar, cotton, gum, wood and turpentine oils, chemicals (carboxylic acids) and iron ore and concentrates from Brazil.

Namibia

Modi will then fly to Namibia on July 9.

Modi is making this trip at the behest of Namibian President Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.

This will be the first time an Indian prime minister has visited Namibia in nearly three decades.

This will also be just the third time an Indian prime minister has visited the country.

Modi and Nandi-Ndaitwah will hold bilateral talks on digital fintech.

A key item on the agenda is implementing India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in Namibia.

The Indian prime minister is also expected to address Namibia’s Parliament and pay homage to Dr Sam Nujoma, the Founding Father of Namibia.

India was one of the first countries that raised the question of Namibian independence at the UN.

Trade between the two countries touched $650 million in 2023.

India’s top export to Namibia was refined petroleum.

Its other exports were petrol, pharmaceuticals and rice.

Its top import from Namibia was diamonds.

Its other top imports were bulk minerals, ores, iron and steel.

India, which is looking to diversify its energy sector, sees Namibia, which has plentiful supplies of uranium, diamonds, copper, phosphates and other minerals, as a great potential partner.

Namibia in 2022 also sent India eight cheetahs that were released in Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.

With inputs from agencies