Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 25: In a significant step towards strengthening India’s outreach in the Pacific, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Fijian counterpart, Sitiveni Rabuka, held extensive talks in New Delhi on Monday, reaffirming their commitment to a broad-based and forward-looking partnership. The two leaders welcomed India’s growing engagement with Pacific Island Countries through the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) and India’s role as a Dialogue Partner in the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), aligning under the Act East policy.
Discussions spanned bilateral, regional, and global issues of mutual interest, with a special focus on deepening collaboration in defence, healthcare, agriculture, trade, education, and infrastructure. The leaders jointly outlined a shared vision for a resilient and inclusive Indo-Pacific, committed to mutual prosperity.
PM Modi announced several key initiatives aimed at boosting healthcare infrastructure in Fiji, including the construction of a 100-bed super specialty hospital in Suva, the deployment of dialysis units and sea ambulances, and the opening of Jan Aushadhi Kendras to provide affordable generic medicines. He also highlighted plans for organising a Jaipur Foot camp in Fiji to assist those in need of prosthetic limbs.
Among the notable outcomes was the signing of an MoU on Recognition of Indian Pharmacopoeia, a move set to enhance pharmaceutical cooperation and improve healthcare access in Fiji. A series of other MoUs were also inked, covering:
• Rural development and agricultural financing (between Fiji Development Bank and NABARD)
• Standardization and quality control (between Bureau of Indian Standards and Fiji’s Department of National Trade Measurement and Standards)
• Capacity building and digital skilling (between NIELIT and Pacific Polytechnic)
• Economic collaboration (between Confederation of Indian Industry and Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation)
• Supply of medicines under the Jan Aushadhi Scheme (between HLL Lifecare Ltd and Fiji’s Health Ministry)
The leaders also celebrated the launch of the Tuba Levu Village Ground Water Supply Project, the first Quick Impact Project in Fiji announced during the 2024 Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga. The project aims to deliver clean drinking water to local communities and is emblematic of India’s commitment to development partnership in the region.
Defence cooperation featured prominently in the discussions, with both leaders reaffirming their commitment to the 2017 MoU on Defence. They welcomed the outcomes of the inaugural Joint Working Group, which laid the groundwork for deeper engagement in peacekeeping operations, military medicine, white shipping information exchange, and capacity building for Fiji’s armed forces.
Prime Minister Rabuka acknowledged India's role in enhancing the security of Fiji’s Exclusive Economic Zone and welcomed the planned visit of an Indian naval ship, a move expected to boost maritime cooperation and regional interoperability.
The leaders also took a strong stand on global terrorism, unequivocally condemning the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 civilians. They reiterated zero tolerance towards terrorism, condemned all its forms, and rejected double standards. Both sides agreed to cooperate on countering radicalization, terror financing, misuse of technology by terrorists, and organised transnational crime.
With Fiji positioned as a regional hub in the Pacific, India underscored the island nation's strategic importance in its Indo-Pacific vision. As noted by Neena Malhotra, Secretary (South) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Fiji continues to serve as a crucial node for air and sea connectivity across the region.
The meeting marked a significant expansion of the India–Fiji relationship, reinforcing shared values and interests and setting the tone for deeper, more diversified cooperation in the years ahead.