Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is in New Delhi for a three-day official visit to India from August 24 to 26, 2025. The trip centers on deepening bilateral ties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and exploring expanded cooperation across health, education, technology, and maritime security.
Rabuka will hold bilateral discussions with Modi, after which Modi will host a luncheon for the visiting Fijian delegation. The visit also includes a courtesy call on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Rabuka arrives with a high-level team that includes his wife, Sulueti Rabuka, and Health and Medical Services Minister Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu, along with senior government officials.
A keynote address by Rabuka is planned at the Indian Council of World Affairs, titled Ocean of Peace. The speech will focus on regional stability, India–Pacific engagement, and the growing importance of maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
Beyond the talks in New Delhi, the engagement is framed as part of a broader, long-standing partnership between India and Fiji. In parallel, discussions at recent high-level meetings in Suva have highlighted the momentum to broaden cooperation across sectors such as healthcare, education, technology, and culture. Ongoing items on the agenda include the lease process for India’s Chancery and Cultural Centre in Nasese and a potential memorandum of understanding between India’s Bureau of Indian Standards and Fiji’s Department of National Trade Measurement and Standards. There is also a notable health project in Fiji, the development of a 100-bed Super Specialty Cardiology Hospital in Suva, which underscores shared commitments to improving healthcare access in Fiji and the wider Pacific region.
Outlook and value:
– The visit is expected to translate long-standing goodwill into concrete cooperation, particularly in health infrastructure, standards alignment, and cultural exchange.
– For Fiji, partnerships with India offer potential for advanced medical facilities, technology transfer, and broader regional connectivity.
– For India, the engagement supports its broader Pacific outreach and regional development goals.
Summary:
Rabuka’s India visit reinforces a positive trajectory in Fiji–India relations, signaling continued collaboration across health, education, technology, and maritime cooperation, with concrete steps such as potential MOUs and ongoing infrastructure projects on the horizon.
Additional notes:
– The events are part of an ongoing, multi-faceted effort to deepen people-to-people ties and practical cooperation across sectors, reflecting a shared interest in regional stability and sustainable development in the Blue Pacific.
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