New Delhi: India and Fiji announced a new action plan to deepen defence and security ties on Monday, putting maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean at the centre of their partnership, a month after Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka publicly rejected any prospect of hosting a Chinese military base in the Pacific.

After talks with visiting Prime Minister Rabuka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “We have decided to strengthen our cooperation in defence and security. An action plan has been prepared for this.” He added that India would support Fiji in training and equipment and share expertise on cyber security and data protection.

Modi welcomed Rabuka’s vision of an “Ocean of Peace” and said India saw Fiji as a hub in its Pacific engagement. “India and Fiji may be oceans apart, but our aspirations sail in the same boat,” he said.

The India-Fijian joint statement said both leaders were committed to “further deepening defence cooperation through new initiatives” and underscored plans to establish a defence wing at India’s High Commission in Suva, gift two ambulances to the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and set up a Cyber Security Training Cell in Fiji. It also highlighted cooperation in maritime, HADR and technology domains, and reaffirmed support for “a free, open, secure, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.”

“They announced their intent to collaborate on strengthening regional maritime security, contributing to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific,” it said.

Detailing the security track, MEA secretary (South) Neena Malhotra said India’s collaboration is “focused on enhancing the maritime capabilities of Fiji” through capacity-building and training and confirmed the “establishment of a post of Defence Attaché” in the mission at Suva, covering Pacific Islands. She also noted a planned Indian naval port call to Fiji in 2025.

Fiji’s position on regional security was thrown into sharper relief last month, when Rabuka told reporters in Canberra that a Chinese military base was “not welcome” in the Pacific. “If they want to come, who would welcome them? Not Fiji,” he said, while stressing that Suva would maintain balanced relations with all partners.

Speculation had been sparked three years ago that a Chinese base was imminent in the Pacific when the Solomon Islands had signed a security pact with China. Beijing has, however, ruled out a military base.

Beyond defence, the two sides signed agreements in health, agriculture, education and migration mobility. India will build a 100-bed super-specialty hospital in Suva, supply dialysis units and sea ambulances, and launch affordable medicine centres. In agriculture, New Delhi will provide 12 agri-drones, mobile soil testing labs and cowpea seeds.

Cultural exchanges were also agreed, with Indian teachers to be sent to the University of Fiji and Fijian pandits set to train in India. Modi described Rabuka’s decision to mark ‘Girmit Day’ in honour of Indian indentured workers as “a tribute to our shared history.”

Around 37% of Fiji’s population of 9 lakh are of Indian origin, whose ancestors went as indentured labourers sent by the British to work in sugarcane plantations between 1879 and 1916.

On connectivity, Malhotra acknowledged that the absence of direct links remained a major concern. “I do realise that it's a major, major challenge. In fact, when I recently visited Fiji, many of these business people had mentioned challenges of shipping links and connectivity between our two countries,” she said.

The senior IFS official noted that Fiji Airways had limited regional operations, flying mainly to Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and nearby islands.

“Because we do not have a national carrier, it's essentially within the hands of the private airlines. In fact, it is for them. But we are ready to facilitate if any of our airlines want to kind of have a code-sharing arrangement or to fly directly, we will be very happy to facilitate, and provide the necessary civil aviation support,” she added.

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