Suva, July 30 (IANS) India and Fiji held the 6th Foreign Office Consultations in Suva on Tuesday and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in health, education, capacity building, trade, investment, agriculture, renewable energy, climate change, people-to-people and culture exchanges.
For the meeting, the Indian delegation was led by Neena Malhotra, Secretary, South, Ministry of External Affairs, and the Fijian side was led by Raijeli Taga, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs. During the meeting, Malhotra expressed India’s appreciation for the Fijian Government’s expression of solidarity and support in the global fight against terrorism, with special reference to the Pahalgam terrorist attack.
In a press release, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated: “The FOC provided an opportunity to review and discuss the entire gamut of bilateral relations. Secretary, South, and PS discussed ways of strengthening bilateral cooperation in health, education, capacity building, trade, investment, agriculture, renewable energy, climate change, people-to-people and cultural exchanges in order to deepen and diversify the India-Fiji partnership.”
During the meeting, the two delegations also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, including developments in the Pacific. The two nations agreed to maintain regular high-level engagements and political consultations. The last India-Fiji Foreign Office Consultations were held in Suva in 2022.
In the release, the MEA stated that the next round of the Foreign Office Consultations is expected to be held in New Delhi at a mutually convenient time in 2026.
During her visit, Malhotra paid courtesy calls on Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics, Biman Prasad, Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs, Pio Tikoduadua and Assistant Minister for Health & Medical Services, Penioni Ravunawa.
“Dr. Neena Malhotra, Secretary (South) called on Hon. Deputy Prime Minister & Minister for Finance Prof. Biman Prasad and discussed strengthening India Fiji bilateral partnership in health, capacity building, culture and people-to-people ties,” the High Commission of India in Fiji posted on X.
She also met Fiji’s Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources, Filimoni Vosarogo, Minister for Employment Productivity and Workplace Relations, Agni Deo Singh, Minister for Multi-Ethnic Affairs and Sugar Industry, Charan Jeath Singh, and Assistant Minister for the Office of the Prime Minister, Sakiusa Tubuna.
During the visit, the Secretary, South, held a roundtable discussion with prominent members of the business community in Fiji. In a post on X, the Indian High Commission said: “Dr. Neena Malhotra, Secretary (South), participated in a Roundtable with business leaders, focusing on strengthening trade ties and investment opportunities in deepening partnerships for shared prosperity.”
Malhotra visited the site of the upcoming 100-bedded Super Speciality Hospital in Nasinu, Suva — a key initiative in strengthening Fiji’s healthcare, according to the Indian High Commission.
“The visit of Secretary (South) to Fiji contributed to the enhancement of bilateral ties as well as closer cooperation under the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) in line with India’s Act East Policy and the broader vision of the Indo-Pacific,” the MEA statement said.
In May 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and James Marape, his counterpart from Papua New Guinea, co-hosted the third summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) in Port Moresby. The unique platform brings together India and 14 Pacific Island countries, including the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Niue, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
FIPIC was launched in Fiji in 2014 during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the country and has helped deepen considerably India’s engagement with the Pacific Island Countries (PIC) across various domains, and as per priorities which are set by the FIPIC countries.
–IANS
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