President Droupadi Murmu on Monday said India remains committed to strengthening its relations and development partnership with the Pacific Island Countries (PICs), among which Fiji remains a special partner.
After visiting Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka called on the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan here, Murmu said capacity building has always been an important pillar of India-Fiji relations, including through the ITEC training programmes for Fijian officials in Indian institutions.
“Welcoming Rabuka and his delegation at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President fondly recalled her meeting with him during her State Visit to Fiji in August 2024, as well as the beautiful traditional welcome extended to her by the indigenous tribal elders,” a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.
She also recalled her interactions with members of the vibrant Indian origin community and appreciated the vital role they play in deepening understanding and friendship between the two countries.
Underlining the long-standing relationship between India and Fiji, characterised by strong people-to-people ties, the President said the contributions of the Girmitiya community have been significant in not only upholding our strong bonds but also shaping Fiji’s multicultural identity, diverse society and economy.
She added that as part of our modern and multifaceted partnership, India is privileged to partner in the socio-economic development of Fiji with a particular focus on Fijian priorities such as health, capacity building and training, and climate resilience.
Murmu was happy to note that an MoU on establishing a Super-Speciality hospital in Fiji has been signed today, marking a milestone in our shared vision for enhanced healthcare cooperation.
She noted that digital technologies have brought about a revolution in financial inclusion in India, and that we would be happy to share with Fiji our experiences in initiatives such as UPI payment systems, ‘Jan Dhan’, and Aadhar.
The President was happy to note that the government of Fiji has prioritised strengthening relations with India, which is evident in the strong momentum in our engagements in recent times. Both leaders expressed confidence that this visit will open new avenues for cooperation, which will benefit the people of both countries.