New Delhi, July 1 : Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a five-nation tour from July 2 to 9, with stops in Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil and Namibia, in a visit aimed at deepening defence cooperation, expanding access to rare earth minerals, and boosting South-South and multilateral partnerships, officials said on Monday.
Modi’s visit is expected to prioritise defence production discussions, particularly during his trip to Brazil, where the two countries are likely to explore cooperation on secure communications technology and India’s domestically produced Akash surface-to-air missile system, which was deployed during Operation Sindoor.
The India-Brazil defence dialogue is scheduled to take place between July 5 and 8, as Modi travels to Rio de Janeiro and Brasília. His Brazil visit will also include participation in the BRICS summit on July 6, where leaders will deliberate on reforming global governance structures, peace and security, climate goals ahead of COP 30, global health, multilateralism, artificial intelligence, and economic cooperation.
“This visit reflects India’s growing engagement with Latin America and Africa, and reinforces our leadership role in global south initiatives,” said Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs.
Ravi confirmed that India will assume the BRICS chairmanship in 2026. The BRICS agenda will also feature meetings among national security advisers, business councils, women’s alliances and civil society representatives.
In Argentina, Modi will hold his first bilateral meeting with President Javier Gerardo Milei. Talks will focus on defence, agriculture, renewable energy, rare earth minerals and trade. India is also expected to reiterate its stance on cross-border terrorism during both the Brazil and Argentina legs of the visit.
The tour will begin in Ghana on July 2, where Modi will meet President John Dramani Mahama. Discussions are expected to cover agriculture, digital public infrastructure, critical minerals, vaccine development for West Africa, and cultural exchanges. Ghana is currently undergoing economic restructuring following Mahama’s election.
Modi will then travel to Trinidad and Tobago on July 3 for the first prime ministerial visit from India since 1999. The visit coincides with the 180th anniversary of Indian migration to the Caribbean nation. Trinidad and Tobago is led by Indian-origin Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who was honoured with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman in 2012.
The final stop of the tour will be Namibia, where Modi will pay tribute to national liberation figure Sam Nujoma, who died earlier this year. An agreement on unified payment interoperability is expected to be signed during the visit, as part of India’s broader push to support Africa’s manufacturing and value-addition goals.
“Africa has become more aspirational and is increasingly seeking to localise manufacturing and value chains,” Ravi said.
