Suva (Fiji), Feb. 16 (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday described Fiji as an important partner of India and said that he has conveyed to the Fijian leadership that New Delhi has very substantial interests in the strategic Indo-Pacific region.
Addressing the Indian community in Suva, Jaishankar said that he had a detailed discussion with Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka about the future of India-Fiji relations.
"The message I brought to him from Prime Minister Narendra Modi was that India's interests in the Indo-Pacific are very substantial. Whether you look at it as economic, political, security, technology or trade interest," he said.
Jaishankar is on a three-day visit to the South Pacific archipelago nation to attend the 12th World Hindi Conference currently being held here.
He also thanked the government of Fiji for partnering with India for the conference and said that "we were honoured by the presence of Fijian president Wiliame Katonivere and the Fijian-Indian community at the event".
Jaishankar said, "When we look at the Indo-Pacific, we certainly see Fiji as a very important partner with whom we have a historic link."
The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region, comprising the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea.
The US, India and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China's rising military manoeuvring in the resource-rich region.
"The challenge for us, as two governments, is how do we refresh this relationship and make it more up to date and how do we address the issues which may have arisen especially in the last three years," he said, apparently referring to China's aggressive moves in the region.
The two leaders also discussed ways to expand the development partnership between the two countries.
The External Affairs minister also said that the Fijian-Indian community and their contributions are valued and the Fijian government is "keen on upgrading the relationship between the two countries and intensifying cooperation."
On India's G20 presidency, Jaishankar said, "We want to make a difference not through political headlines but by asking the world what is it that is missing and which part of your core concern did not get on the table?' and how do we voice that?"
During Jaishankar's visit, a visa waiver agreement was signed between India and Fiji that would permit diplomatic and official passport holders of the two countries to travel and stay in each other's country without holding a visa for 90 days, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release.
Jaishankar also unveiled the bust of Sardar Patel at the India House in Suva. He also visited the Fiji Museum and inaugurated the Girmit gallery.
"Visited the Fiji Museum and inaugurated the Girmit gallery there supported by India. The exposition of the story of the Fiji-Indian experience captures the striving of our people who created their own way of life far away from home," Jaishankar tweeted.
India and Fiji share close, friendly and long-standing relations with a strong element of development partnership. This year marks the 75th year of the establishment of India's diplomatic presence in Fiji.
Jaishankar's visit marks the first high-level visit to Fiji since the change of government in December 2022, the MEA statement said.