Countries Visited: Ghana, Trinidad & Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, Namibia
Theme: “Deepening Ties with the Global South”
🌍 1. Ghana
- First Indian PM visit in 30+ years
- Focus Areas: Vaccine hub proposal, digital cooperation
- Trade: India is the top destination for Ghanaian gold exports
- Challenge: Strong competition from China & EU
🌎 2. Trinidad & Tobago
- Diaspora Diplomacy: 40–45% of T&T’s population is of Indian origin
- Historic: 180 years of Indian presence in Caribbean
- Trade: $341.6M in FY 2024–25
- Limitation: Limited tech/economic spillovers despite diaspora presence
🌎 3. Argentina
- First bilateral PM visit in 57 years
- Key Focus: Lithium, soybean, sunflower oil
- India = 5th largest trading partner (2024)
- Risk: Political instability under President Javier Milei
🌎 4. Brazil
- Event: BRICS Leaders’ Summit & State Visit
- Bilateral Focus: Deepening the Strategic Partnership
- Brazil = India’s top South American trading partner
- Challenge: China’s influence within BRICS and Latin America
🌍 5. Namibia
First PM visit; third ever by any Indian PM
- Major Moves:
- Digital Diplomacy: Launch of UPI
- Eco-Diplomacy: Cheetah translocation (2022)
- Trade Surge: From $3M (2000) to $600M (2025)
- Sectors: Mining, diamonds, services
- Barrier: Intense foreign competition in tech and infrastructure
🧭 India’s Global South Strategy – Opportunities vs Challenges
✅ Opportunities:
- Strengthening ties in minerals, tech, climate, vaccine access
- Showcasing India’s leadership post-Voice of Global South Summit (2023)
⚠️ Challenges:
Execution Gap: Weak follow-through vs China’s BRI
- Fragmented Institutional Support
Overuse of Soft Power: Diaspora focus without economic muscle
📌 Conclusion: Emergence of “Modi Doctrine 3.0”
A refined foreign policy vision marked by:
- Global South Solidarity
- Tech-Driven Diplomacy
- Focus on Institutional Reform
- Balancing Aspirations with Deliverables