PM makes Pacific Ocean outreach

Modi announces a slew of lines of credit and development assistance totalling $80 million for Fiji and visa
on arrival for citizens from the island nation

India's Pacific Ocean outreach gained traction on Wednesday with the announcement of a slew of lines of credit and development assistance totalling $80 million for Fiji and visa on arrival for all the 14 island countries in the region, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit here.

Modi, who held talks with Fijian counterpart Frank Bainimarama, also announced a $1-million Special Adaptation Fund for the Pacific nations and a proposal to develop a pan-Pacific islands project for tele-medicine and tele-education. His trip is the first by an Indian prime minister in 33 years, after Indira Gandhi's in 1981.

India and Fiji also agreed to expand their security and defence cooperation, considered as hub in the Pacific Ocean region, as Suva rolled out the red carpet with "Vula Modi (Welcome Modi)" billboards dotting traffic intersections.

Modi also addressed a meeting of leaders of 12 Pacific Ocean countries, a move considered significant. He also addressed the Fijian National University, the first by a world leader.

The other decisions announced at this meeting relate to an increase in grant-in-aid to Pacific Island Countries from $125,000 annually to $200,000 to each Pacific Island country for community projects, complimentary space to Pacific Island countries during exhibitions organised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation to showcase their products and an offer to support the setting up of a trade office in New Delhi to promote trade between India and Pacific Island countries.

"It is a new day and a new beginning in our relations with Fiji," Modi said, at a joint media appearance with Bainimarama at the prime minister's office.

"Fiji could serve as a hub for stronger Indian engagement with Pacific islands. I see this visit as an opportunity to renew an old relationship and lay the foundation for a strong partnership in the future," he added.

Reciprocating Modi's sentiments, Bainimarama, a former military ruler, said Modi's visit has laid the groundwork for "productive relationship" between the two countries.

"We are proud to have India as a partner in Fiji's future," he said, adding 15 more bilateral agreements are in the works.

Bainimarama was sworn in on September 22 after the first parliamentary elections in the Pacific nation since he seized power in a coup in 2006.

Seeking stronger engagement with Fiji, India will give lines of credit of $70 million for a co-generation power plant, $5 million for upgrading the sugar industry, besides a $5 million fund to develop its small business and villages. India will also set up a parliament library, and double the scholarships and training slots for Fijians.

The lines of credit were part of three agreements signed between the two countries in the presence of the two leaders.

Modi also addressed Fijian parliament, the first by a foreign leader, after parliamentary elections, during which he said that India was prepared to work with Fiji to build a 'Digital Fiji'.

Modi proposed to depute technical experts to Pacific Island countries including in the fields of agriculture, health care and information technology. He also offered cooperation in use of space technology applications for improving the quality of life of people and communications.

"We are also working on a solar energy project with the Pacific Islands at the community level. The regional hubs will be developed in the Pacific Islands," he added.

Of the 849,000 population in Fiji, 37 per cent of the people are of Indian origin.