India-Fiji Strengthen Ties In Key Sectors

In a significant diplomatic move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Fijian counterpart, Sitiveni Rabuka, met to solidify the development partnership between their two nations. The discussions, which took place in New Delhi, underscored India's expanding engagement with Pacific Island Countries through its Act East policy and the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC).

The leaders expressed satisfaction with the growth of their bilateral relationship and committed to building a broad-based, inclusive, and forward-looking partnership. Key areas of focus include defence, health, agriculture, trade, and education.

Healthcare and Development Initiatives

A cornerstone of the new partnership is enhanced cooperation in healthcare. PM Modi announced several key initiatives aimed at improving access to affordable healthcare in Fiji:

• Establishment of a 100-bed super speciality hospital in Suva.

• Provision of dialysis units and sea ambulances.

• Opening of Jan Aushadhi Kendras (People's Pharmacies) to provide low-cost generic medicines.

• Organisation of a 'Jaipur Foot' camp to provide prosthetics.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the recognition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia was signed, strengthening collaboration in the pharmaceutical sector. Additionally, another MoU was signed for the Tuba Levu Village Ground Water Supply Project, a Quick Impact Project (QIP) that will provide clean drinking water to local communities.

Economic and Security Cooperation

To boost economic ties, several MoUs were signed between key institutions:

• Fiji Development Bank (FDB) and NABARD of India will collaborate on rural development and agricultural financing.

• Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Fiji’s Department of National Trade Measurement and Standards (DNTMS) will cooperate on standardisation.

• CII and the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation (FCEF) will work to further economic and commercial ties.

On the security front, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the MoU on Defence Cooperation, signed in 2017. The recent inaugural Joint Working Group (JWG) on Defence highlighted areas of collaboration, including UN Peacekeeping Operations, Military Medicine, and White Shipping Information Exchange. PM Rabuka welcomed India’s assurance to assist with the security of Fiji’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and announced a planned port call by an Indian Naval Ship to enhance maritime cooperation.

Both nations also agreed to strengthen cooperation against terrorism, condemning the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack. They reiterated a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and pledged to work together to counter radicalisation and combat terrorist financing.

[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed.]