The High Commissioner of India to Ghana, Shri Surinder Bhagat, has assured the Indian community in Ghana of his commitment to making the High Commission more accessible and responsive, describing the mission as a “home away from home” for Indians living in the country.
He gave the assurance at a ceremony held at his residence in Accra on August 15, 2026, to mark India’s 80th Independence Day, where he pledged to build on efforts to make the High Commission more accessible to the community and ensure that their concerns receive appropriate attention.
“One of my foremost priorities as High Commissioner will be to ensure that the High Commission remains accessible, responsive, and citizen-centric. For Indians living in Ghana, the High Commission is not merely a diplomatic institution. It is your home away from home,” he stated.
His commitment comes to build on the approach adopted by his predecessor, Manish Gupta, particularly through the High Commission’s monthly Open House initiative, which provides members of the Indian community with an opportunity to engage directly with officials and raise issues requiring consular or other assistance.
He further emphasised that effective engagement between the mission and the Indian community requires cooperation from both sides, assuring nationals that the High Commission would continue to address genuine concerns with professionalism and sincerity while encouraging them to work with the mission in resolving issues that require its intervention.
“I take the opportunity to assure you that the doors of the High Commission are always open for the community. While it may not be possible to resolve each and every issue immediately, we will certainly try our best to resolve all genuine concerns with full sincerity and professionalism,” he added.
The High Commissioner also called on the Indian community to play a greater role in strengthening the growing partnership between Ghana and India, particularly following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Ghana in July 2025, which elevated relations between the two countries to a Comprehensive Partnership.
Against that backdrop, he urged members of the community to contribute to the relationship through their conduct, professional and business activities and engagement with Ghanaian society, stressing that India’s ties with Ghana extend beyond government-to-government relations.
“The Indian community can play an important role in giving further momentum to this partnership. As we celebrate Independence Day, let us therefore make a commitment not only to celebrate India but also to serve India through our conduct, our contributions and our engagement with the society in which we live,” he stated.
He also commended Indian nationals for their contribution to Ghana’s economic and social development through investments in businesses, industry and professional services, noting that their presence has helped deepen economic ties between the two countries, with bilateral trade now exceeding $7 billion.
The celebration brought together members of the Indian community in Ghana, representatives of the Ghana-India business community, educational and cultural institutions, as well as other stakeholders, in a commemoration of India’s independence and the longstanding ties between the two countries.
The event also featured cultural performances, including music and dance presentations by students of DPS International School, adding a cultural dimension to the celebration and highlighting the connections between the Indian community and the wider Ghanaian society.
The 80th Independence Day celebration was held under the theme “Yuva Shakti for Viksit Bharat@2047”, placing the contribution of India’s youth at the centre of the country’s long-term ambition to become a developed nation by 2047, the centenary of its independence.
The commemoration also coincides with the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, the national song that played a significant role in India’s freedom struggle and which, for the first time, was rendered as part of the Independence Day ceremony at the historic Red Fort in New Delhi.
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