The Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Fiji Ratu Inoke Kubuabola will be meeting External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on Wednesday to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.
"During the visit of the Fijian Foreign Minister, it is expected that among other things the focus of discussion will also be on possible Indian electoral assistance to Fiji as they move towards their elections in September 2014. It is our expectation that the visit will further strengthen our bilateral relations with Fiji," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin told media here today.
He further said that Fiji is an important partner of India in the Pacific region, and India have cooperation with Fiji in a variety of socio-economic sectors apart from understandings on political, regional and multi lateral levels.
"India and Fiji share close and cordial relations. Our bilateral relations have been growing and the people to people contacts have been developing very well. Our cultural exchanges have been increasing. In fact the first Indian cultural centre outside India was set up in Fiji," he said.
"Fiji has been assisting in monitoring in the Pacific for the Mars Orbiter Mission that was launched last November. Universities in Fiji have memoranda of understanding and other arrangements with various Indian educational institutions to promote academic exchanges," he added.