India to gift Fiji drones, soil testing labs as part of broader development partnership
India will gift Fiji 12 agricultural drones and two mobile soil testing laboratories under its Grant-in-Aid Programme, a move announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the official visit of Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka. The package aims to boost innovation and raise productivity in Fiji’s sugar sector, leveraging technology to support farmers and improve crop management.
In a show of broader capacity-building cooperation, Modi also announced that an ITEC (Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation) expert would be sent to the Fiji Sugar Corporation and that specialized ITEC training programs for local sugar professionals will be organized. The initiative underscores a continued emphasis on skills development and knowledge transfer in key agricultural sectors.
Beyond agriculture, Modi said an Indian cricket coach will be dispatched to assist local teams, focusing on talent development and youth engagement in sports. This sports partnership complements ongoing cultural and people-to-people exchanges that have long featured in Fiji-India relations.
The leaders also welcomed progress on diplomatic infrastructure, with Fiji having allocated land in Suva for India’s High Commission Chancery-cum-Cultural Centre and the handover of the Lease Title. Fiji’s government previously allocated land in New Delhi in 2015 for its High Commission Chancery, highlighting a reciprocal approach to hosting diplomatic missions.
Parliamentary and people-to-people ties featured prominently in the discussions. Both Rabuka and Modi stressed the importance of ongoing parliamentary exchanges to strengthen democratic and legislative links, with Modi welcoming a proposed 2026 visit by a delegation of Fijian parliamentarians. Rabuka, for his part, highlighted the Great Council of Chiefs’ role in social cohesion and community development, and Modi welcomed a GCC delegation’s planned visit next year to deepen people-to-people ties.
Context and outlook:
The current engagement builds on a steady stream of cooperation between Fiji and India, including a high-priority health project—the 100-bed Super Specialty Cardiology Hospital in Suva. This flagship initiative, first highlighted at the 2023 Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) summit, remains a cornerstone of the partnership and is expected to broaden access to advanced medical care across Fiji and the wider Pacific region. The ongoing collaboration also encompasses health, education, technology, climate resilience, and cultural exchange, signaling a shared commitment to sustainable development and regional stability.
What readers can take away:
– A concrete package of technology and capacity-building tools to boost Fiji’s agriculture and sugar production.
– Continued investment in healthcare infrastructure and high-level diplomatic engagement that strengthens ties and regional cooperation.
– A positive trajectory for Fiji-India relations, underscored by people-to-people exchanges, cultural ties, and regional development.
Summary: The agreement to provide drones, mobile soil labs, expert advisory, and a sports-coaching deployment, alongside ongoing health and cultural projects, underscores a multi-faceted and hopeful growth path for Fiji-India relations, with tangible benefits for agriculture, healthcare, education, and regional collaboration.
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