Ghana Applies for BRICS Membership, Seeks India’s Backing to Join Bloc

ACCRA, Ghana — Ghana plans to formally apply for BRICS membership and has called on India to back its upcoming bid, Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced on Tuesday alongside India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Speaking in Accra, Ablakwa revealed that the Cabinet under President John Dramani Mahama has officially resolved to pursue membership in the expanding economic bloc.

“Another major highlight that I am disclosing to the Ghanaian people for the first time is that the Cabinet of President John Dramani Mahama has decided that Ghana should put in a formal application to join BRICS,” Ablakwa said, noting that the bilateral relationship between Ghana and India has now elevated to a comprehensive partnership.

India Responds to Ghana’s BRICS Ambitions

India, which holds the BRICS chairmanship in 2026, welcomed Ghana’s interest but underscored the collective decision-making process of the alliance. Jaishankar clarified that while New Delhi supports Accra, a seat cannot be granted unilaterally, as all new admissions require full consensus among existing BRICS members.

Jaishankar highlighted the deep historical ties between the two nations, framing them as traditional leaders of the developing world.

“We have both been champions of the Global South before that term was even invented,” Jaishankar stated. “We have, I think, in the world, in difficult circumstances, stood up for the independence, the self-reliance, and the dignity of countries that had earlier been colonised. That legacy stands us in good stead.”

Originally founded by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, the bloc added South Africa in 2010. BRICS has since embarked on a major expansion strategy, absorbing new member states across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, alongside a secondary tier of designated partner countries.

Ghana’s strategic diplomatic push to India carries significant weight, coming on the heels of India hosting the BRICS foreign ministers in New Delhi earlier this May.