India upgrades representation at upcoming Pacific island nations outreach meeting

New Delhi, Aug 25 (IANS) Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita will visit Tonga on August 28-29 to participate in the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders’ Meeting with Dialogue Partners, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Sunday.

This meeting is part of the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum and its associated events. During his visit, the Minister will also hold high-level bilateral discussions with Tongan leaders, reinforcing the strong partnership between India and Tonga which is built on shared values of mutual respect, trust, and cooperation. The visit will reaffirm both countries' strong commitment to enhancing their bilateral partnership for progress and prosperity.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the participation of MoS at the 53rd PIF Leaders’ Meeting in Tonga marks the first-ever participation at the Ministerial level from India in the PIF Meetings. The visit is expected to further strengthen and deepen India’s longstanding partnership with the PIF and the Pacific Island Countries, including Tonga.

The Pacific Island Forum is the apex intergovernmental organisation in the Pacific Region consisting of 18 members, namely, Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. India has been a Dialogue Partner of the Forum since 2002.

Following the successful 3rd Summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) in May 2023 which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, the visit of the Minister will provide India with an opportunity to engage with key decision-makers from all 14 FIPIC countries, the MEA said. Additionally, he will also meet with other Dialogue Partners on the sidelines of the PIF Meeting.

Minister Margherita's visit underscores India's attention to the Pacific Ocean region, as it comes soon after President Droupadi Murmu's state visit to Fiji, New Zealand, and Timor-Leste earlier in August.

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