PM Modi and Rabuka stress maritime security, Indo-Pacific cooperation
New Delhi: India and Fiji on Monday unveiled an action plan to enhance defence and security cooperation, underscoring their shared commitment to a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific. The agreement followed wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Fijian counterpart Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka, who is on his first visit to India as Prime Minister.
During the discussions at Hyderabad House, both leaders reaffirmed zero tolerance for terrorism, condemned the April Pahalgam terror attack, and rejected what they called “double standards” in dealing with the threat. The two sides signed seven agreements covering defence, medicine, skill development, trade, and capacity building.
“India and Fiji may be separated by oceans, but our aspirations sail in the same boat,” PM Modi said in his remarks, stressing that maritime security and disaster resilience remain key priorities. He announced that India will provide training and equipment support to Fiji’s forces, along with gifting 12 agricultural drones and two mobile soil testing labs to boost the island nation’s farming sector.
The joint statement highlighted the leaders’ shared vision for a stable Indo-Pacific and emphasized regional cooperation. India also announced the appointment of a defence attaché in its High Commission in Suva to streamline military-to-military ties.
Rabuka, who arrived in Delhi on a three-day visit, praised India’s role in championing the interests of the Global South, noting the significance of the Voice of Global South Summits. He said climate change remained an existential challenge for Fiji, and welcomed India’s commitment to support disaster response and climate adaptation.
Both sides also pushed for urgent reforms in the United Nations, including expansion of the Security Council. Fiji reiterated its backing for India’s permanent seat in a reformed UNSC and endorsed New Delhi’s candidature for the 2028–29 non-permanent term.
With China’s growing influence in the Pacific, analysts say the new defence roadmap cements India’s role as a strategic partner for Fiji. The agreements mark not just bilateral cooperation but a wider effort to shape a more inclusive global order.
