India strengthens its Pacific diplomacy with Fiji, sending seeds, promising tech ties, and deepening cooperation in defence, health, and development under the Act East Policy vision.
The 6th India-Fiji Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) held in Suva marked a renewed commitment to strengthening the multifaceted partnership between New Delhi and Suva, with fresh momentum added to ongoing cooperation in agriculture, education, healthcare, climate change and people-to-people ties. The high-level talks also reaffirmed shared strategic interests in the wider Indo-Pacific region.
The Indian delegation was led by Neena Malhotra, Secretary (South) at the Ministry of External Affairs, while the Fijian team was headed by Raijeli Taga, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs. This was the first FOC since July 2022, also held in Suva.
According to the official statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the consultations provided a platform to assess the full scope of bilateral relations and identify avenues for further collaboration. From trade and investment to renewable energy and digital technology, the discussions were wide-ranging and future-oriented.
A major highlight of the visit was India’s expression of gratitude to the Fijian government for its solidarity following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April 2025. Malhotra thanked Fiji for its firm stance against global terrorism, an area of increasing convergence between the two nations.
In addition to security cooperation, the two sides reaffirmed their shared goal of a diversified and sustainable partnership. Discussions included support for Fijian development in sectors such as agriculture and renewable energy, with the Indian side underlining its readiness to collaborate further in health, capacity building, vocational training, and digital transformation.
On the sidelines of the FOC, Secretary Malhotra paid courtesy calls on several senior Fijian ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad and Minister for Defence Pio Tikoduadua. She also met with ministers from key portfolios like lands, employment, multi-ethnic affairs, and sugar industry, underscoring India’s wide-ranging development focus.
One of the tangible outcomes of the growing agricultural collaboration was the dispatch of five metric tonnes of black-eyed cowpea seeds from India to Fiji on July 27. The MEA described this as a humanitarian gesture under the ‘Act East Policy’, intended to support Fijian agricultural production amid climatic and supply chain challenges.
“Standing in solidarity with our partners in the Indo-Pacific,” the MEA posted on social media platform X, adding that the first tranche had departed from Delhi. The initiative marks a new phase in India’s agricultural diplomacy and showcases its commitment to food security partnerships in the Pacific.
The Indian High Commission in Suva echoed these sentiments, emphasising the enduring people-to-people bonds, cultural ties, and mutual respect that have characterised India-Fiji relations. These links were notably reinforced when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Fiji in November 2014 and launched the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC), a strategic platform now central to India’s Pacific outreach.
During her visit, Secretary Malhotra also held a roundtable discussion with prominent members of Fiji’s business community. The dialogue focused on trade opportunities, infrastructure development, and ways to increase Indian investments in Fijian industries. Given the strong diaspora presence and shared cultural heritage, both sides agreed on the untapped potential in tourism and services.
India’s development assistance to Fiji has spanned across decades, particularly in human resource development and capacity-building. Under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme, hundreds of Fijian nationals receive training in India every year, gaining skills in areas ranging from public administration to rural development.
Higher education remains another strong pillar of engagement. Many Fijian students pursue degrees in India through scholarships offered by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and the Ministry of AYUSH, especially in medicine and traditional systems of healthcare.
This partnership was further elevated in May 2025 when Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita attended the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the recognition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia, boosting cooperation in pharmaceuticals and medical standards.
Equally significant was the digital collaboration initiated in November 2024, when both countries signed an MoU to promote digital transformation by leveraging India’s scalable digital public infrastructure. The agreement seeks to transfer India’s successful digital innovations to Fiji, potentially transforming service delivery and citizen empowerment.
The MEA noted that both countries agreed to maintain regular high-level engagement and institutional dialogue. The next round of Foreign Office Consultations will be held in New Delhi in 2026 at a mutually convenient time.
India’s outreach to Fiji continues to be an essential part of its broader Indo-Pacific and Act East strategies, offering a template for inclusive development diplomacy and regional cooperation in a changing global landscape.
