The Pacific Island countries are small island countries located in the Pacific Ocean. As the major power contest rises between the QUAD members on the one side and China on the other for gaining strategic foothold in the Pacific region, the PIC countries, 14 in number, have assumed strategic significance in the the strategy of major powers including India. In July, 2026, Australia has signed mutual defence and peace treaty with Fiji, which is known as ‘Ocean of Peace Alliance’. In recent years, Australia has signed similar peace and security treaties with four other countries: the Falepili Union Treaty with Tuvalu in 2023, with Nauru in 2024, with Papua New Guinea in 2025 (Pukpuk Treaty) and Nakamal Agreement with Vanuatu in 2026. In October, 2025, Australia and Papua new guinea have signed Mutual Defence treaty known as Pukpuk treaty, under which both will assist each other in case of external military threat. China has protested. But China too has entered nearly similar arrangement with Solomon Islands in 2022. The Quad has also shown its keen interest in developing partnership with PICs.
In this background, it appears logical to review India’s engagement with PICs.
the Pacific Islands region has become the focus of attention of major global powers. It seems the strategic contestation between major powers mainly China and US and her partners has reached to the shores of Pacific Island Countries (PCIs). The major powers like China, US, Australia, Japan South Korea, France and India are enhancing their strategic and economic engagement with the countries of the region. Indian Prime Minister visited Papua New Guinea to co-chair the third Summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC). This was the first visit of any Indian Prime Minister to Papua New Guinea. The leaders of 14 PICs participated in the third edition of FIPIC. The Indian Prime Minister Modi announced a 12-step programme to enhance and intensify the partnership with PICs. India’s renewed and expanded engagement with PCIs needs to be understood in the context of broader strategic contours of pacific region.
The Pacific island region consists of 14 independent Pacific Island Countries (PICs), which are located in the South Pacific region. These countries are: the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Wallis and Futuna. Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu are classified as least-developed countries. The remaining countries are classified as developing countries. Pacific Island countries have a combined population of about 2.3 million people across a unique and diverse region. The region is made up of hundreds of islands scattered over an area equivalent to 15 percent of the earth’s surface (World Bank: 2022). But these countries have large Exclusive Economic Zones with substantial marine resources. However, Pacific countries are physically remote, have small populations spread across many islands confront many of the worst impacts of climate change, and are some of the world’s most vulnerable countries to natural disasters. They are highly vulnerable to the rising sea level and other natural disasters in view of ongoing global climate change crisis. In addition their capacity to address these challenges is limited.
The strategic importance of the Pacific Islands needs no emphasis. It came to light during the WWII when the Island countries became base for logistic support to Allied power. The Pacific islands alsoacted as one of the major theatres of conflict during the WWII between Japan and the U.S. America’s major naval base is located in Guam, which is a part of this region. Some of the major nuclear weapon test sites of the U.S., the U.K. and France were located here due to the remoteness of these islands from the Soviet Union and major population centres of the world.In addition, the political salience of PICs cannot be underestimated as any major power would like to seek their political support in the United Nations. In order to articulate their political consciousness and economic aspirations the countries of this region established Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) way back in 1971. At present, the PIF has 18 members. In addition to PICs, it some other countries as members including Australia and New Zealand are the members of the PIF. The Forum’s Pacific Vision stands for a region of peace, harmony, security, social inclusion and prosperity, so that all Pacific people can lead free, healthy, and productive lives. The PIF tries to achieve this vision by fostering cooperation between governments, collaboration with international agencies, and by representing the interests of its members. Since 1989, the Forum has organized an annual meeting with 18 Dialogue Partners including India. The Pacific Islands Forum is guided by the Framework of Pacific Regionalism, which was endorsed by Forum Leaders in July 2014. In 2022, the PIF has adopted a new document called ‘2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent’ which incorporates all elements of sustainable development in the region (Pacific Islands Forum: 2023). These developments indicate the regional consciousness and economic aspirations of the people of PICs.
Strategic Competition in Pacific Islands Region
In recent years, Pacific Island region has become a hotspot of strategic competition between China on the one hand and the US and her partners on the other. China has been making strategic and economic inroads in the region for the last few years through its loan and grant programmes. China wants to counter outreach of QAUD and AUKUS in the region. China signed Framework Agreement for Security Cooperation with Solomon Islands in April, 2022. As per the leaked draft of this agreement, China has agreed to send armed police and military personnel, to assist Solomon Islands in ‘maintaining social order, protecting people’s lives and property, and providing humanitarian assistance.’ China can also use its forces to protect Chinese personnel and projects, and for its ships to stopover and carry out logistical replenishment in the Solomon Islands (Kim: 2022). China would like to sign similar agreements with other countries of the region. This was a most disturbing development for regional players like Australia, New Zealand and US among others. The US was particularly perturbed as its major strategic naval base is located in Guam, which is very near to Solomon Islands. In response the US has also stepped up its efforts to counter China’s rising influence in the region. The US announced its Indo-Pacific Strategy in 2022, which among things mandates the US to build the defence capacity of partners in the Pacific Islands, and open new embassies and expand the US Coast Guard presence and cooperation in the region, with a focus on advising, training, deployment, and capacity-building. In tune with this policy, The US president Biden organized the first US-Pacific Island Country Summit on 28-29 September 2022 in Washington. The major outcome of this summit was the finalization of Pacific Partnership Strategy which states that it is the foreign policy priority of the US to develop deeper and broader partnership with Pacific Island countries. The second summit is due in 2023. The US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken signed the Compact of Free Association Agreement with two countries Palau and Micronesia on 22-23 May, 2023. Japan, South Korea, Australia and France are other major countries which are trying to increase their outreach in this region. Also, the QUAD Leaders’ Joint Statement, issued on 20 May, 2023 during fifth QUAD Summit at Hiroshima recognizes the importance of Pacific Island countries and calls for enhanced partnership with these countries (MEA:2023).
India’s Engagement with Pacific Island Countries
At present, India’s engagement with Pacific Island Countries (PCIs) is relatively benign and modest in comparison to China and the US. But it is likely to further increase in future in terms of both substance and geographical reach. India’s engagement is largely driven by the four factors- sizeable presence of Indian Diaspora in the region; expansion of India’s Act East policy with renewed vigour; India’s priority on development partnership and South-South Cooperation with developing countries; and emerging strategic salience of this region in view of renewed contestation among major powers including China and the US.
First, the initial engagement of India with the PICs was largely driven by the presence of large Indian Diaspora in some countries. For example, there are 40 percent people of Indian origin in Fiji and some 3000 Indians living in Papua New Guinea at present. The Indians were taken to these countries as plantation workers by colonial powers mainly Britain. After British left the Pacific, the Indians settled in those countries.
Second, India’s increasing engagement with PICs should be viewed in the light of India’s renewed Act East policy during present regime since 2014. After all, PIC countries are located in the region, which is part of larger East Asia. India engagement with PICs would further strengthen and enhance the reach of India’s Act East Policy. In recent years, India has been encouraging greater engagement with PICs particularly in the light of the reinvigorated ‘Act East Policy’, with enhanced geographical reach and strategic substance and the Indo-Pacific vision (Pandey: 2023).
Third, since independence, the South-South Cooperation and Development Partnership (DP) with other developing and least developed countries have been a core element of India’s foreign policy. Majority of the PICs falls under this category. India has been raising the voice of Global South in various global platforms like climate change negotiations, WTO trade negotiations, G-20, UN among others. Unlike other powers/partners active in pacific region, India Development Partnership has been transparent, inclusive and based on the developmental needs of PICs. Neither it was imposed from outside nor it has any extraneous conditions attached to it. Also, this partnership is encouraged at all three levels: bilateral, regional and global level.
Fourth, in recent years, China’s economic and strategic engagement in Pacific region has increased substantially. In response, the US and her allies have also stepped up their engagement in the region. This gives a new opportunity for an emerging power like India to embolden her footprints in the region. If China can move in India’s neghbourhood, India has every right to move into China’s neighbourhood.
Nature and Level of India’s Engagement with PICs
During initial decades, India’s engagement with Pacific Island region has been limited to Fiji and Papua New Guinea due to the presence of large Indian Diaspora mainly in Fiji. Even at present, out of 14 PICs, India has diplomatic missions in only two countries-Fiji and Papua New Guinea. India’s diplomatic needs in the remaining PICs are taken care by the other diplomatic missions of India in this region. However, since 2014, there has been appositive shift in India’s approach towards Pacific region. India took fresh measures to collectively engage with PICs. The Forum for India-Pacific Island Cooperation (FIPIC) was organized in 2014 and its First Summit was held in Suva, Fiji on 19 November, 2014. This summit laid the foundation stone for further collective India-PICs partnership in future. In addition India has been actively participating in the Pacific Island Forum’s annual meetings as one of the 18 Dialogue Partners. The Second FIPIC Summit was hosted by India on 21-22 August 2015 at the Indian city of Jaipur. The Summit focused on various issues of PICs interest like climate change, clean energy, food security and reform of the United Nations. In September, 2019 during the UN General Assembly Session in New York, the Indian Prime Minister Modi met the leaders of PICs. In this interaction, Modi reiterated that India and the PICs have shared values and a shared future, and India is ‘committed to advancing development priorities of the PICs’. Though, there has been inordinate delay of eight years in organizing the third summit in 2023, India has been cultivating a mutually beneficial development partnership with PICs over the years. India has announced enhanced grant-in-aids and concessional Line of Credits to PICs for climate change and clean energy projects. India has announced $200,000 grant-in-aid to be provided to the PICs annually. India’s development partnership has covered many other sectors such as support to Medium and Small Enterprises; technical assistance in agriculture, healthcare and Information technology; capacity building/training programmes for civilian and military personnel; educational scholarship and relief and humanitarian aid during natural disasters. India has provided 1000 training slots to PICs since 2014 under the ITEC programme (Pandey: 2023). Most of the countries of this region are highly prone to natural disasters. Hence, in September, 2017, India has launched Early Warning system in seven Pacific Island Countries. In fact, India’s partnership has been
At global level, India promotes the partnership with and interests of Global South countries. During global climate change negotiations, India has advanced the notion of ‘climate justice’ which aims to address the concerns of poor and vulnerable developing countries. India has launched various specific programmes like International Solar Alliance in 2015 and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). The CDRI aims to address the concerns of all Islands countries including PICs, which are vulnerable climate change natural disasters. The CDRI focuses onTechnical Support and Capacity-building, research and knowledge management; and advocacy and partnership (CDRI: 2023). The CDRI has ampler scope for India to advance her need-based partnership with PICs. Many of the PICs fall under the category of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and India has been supporting their special interests in global trade negotiations and other global forums like G-20. India convened a special global conference on Global South to mainstream their cause in the coming G-20 Summit hosted by India in September, 2023.
The third FIPIC Summit, 2023
It was in this background that the third FIPIC Summit was held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on 22 May 2023 when the Indian PM Modi visited that country as a part of his three-nation tour to Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia. The delegates from all 14 PICs participated in the summit. In his opening remarks, Modi outlines the India perspective on partnership with PICs. Modi said, ‘you are not Small Island States, but Large Ocean Countries. It is this vast ocean that connects India with all of you. The Indian philosophy has always viewed the world as one family’. He further remarked, ‘India respects your priorities. It feels proud to be your development partner. Whether it’s humanitarian assistance or your development, you can count India as a reliable partner. Our perspective is based on human values’ (PMINDIA: 2023).While highlighting India’s recent global and regional efforts conducive to PICs interests such as launching of International Solar Alliance, CDRI, convening of Global South Summit on the eve of Indian Presidency of G-20, Modi outlined the priority areas for India-PICs partnership based on the issues faced by these countries. Climate change, natural disasters, hunger, poverty, and various health-related challenges were already prevalent. Now, he said, new issues are emerging. Barriers are arising in the supply chains of food, fuel, fertilizer, and pharmaceuticals.
During the Summit, India announced the following measures as part of India’s 12-step Action Plan to strengthen and expand the ongoing India-PICs partnership: establishment of a super-specialty cardiology hospital in Fiji, setting up of dialysis units in all the 14 PICs; providing sea ambulances to all the 14 PICs; starting‘ Jan Aushadhi centres on Indian pattern for affordable medicines; setting up of yoga centers in the islands countries; establishing desalination plants in all PICs for clean water supply; announcing new Sagar Amrut Scholarship for training 1000 ITEC PICs personnel in next five years under India’s ITEC Scheme; making provision for the supply of India’s Jaipur Foot to disabled people; and promise of providing technical and financial assistance for the development of solar power and other sources of renewable energy (Jha:2023). India also announced to set up the Sustainable Coastal and Ocean Research Institute (SCORI) in Fiji which will promote research and development in relevant areas like tsunami forecasting, coastal vulnerability, Ocean state Forecast, and potential fishing zones among others. In view of poor industrial development in PICs, India has focused on the promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector of PICs economy. Over the years, India has been extending technical assistance to SME sector of PICs. During this summit, India announced launch of projects for development of SME sector in all PICs. The projects involve the supply of machinery and technology and capacity building programmes for the development of SME sector.
FIPIC Foreign Ministers Meet- The Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar hosted the FIPIC foreign ministers meet on 25 September, 2025 at New York on the occasion of UN General Assembly Session. Jaishankar remarked that the relations between India and PICs is based on development partnership, which is based on the 12 Point people-centric agenda (drawn during third FIPIC summit) focusing on health, education, capacity building and so on.
Conclusion
The Pacific Island countries have received renewed attention from the major powers like China and the US as well her allies. In view of the strategic, political and economic significance of these countries, the region may witness a new contestation for strategic influence between major powers. In this background, India too has stepped up its engagement with PICS at bilateral, regional and global levels. India’s engagement with PICs is in tune with the core element of her foreign policy like Act East, South- South Cooperation, and development partnership based on transparency, inclusiveness and needs of the recipients. In a way India’s engagement with PICs is both benign and development oriented. This also goes well with India’s global ambitions. India’s partnership with PICs encompasses, sustainable development mainly health and drinking water, climate change and disaster management, clean energy and development of Blue economy in the region. The Blue economy based on sustainable use and exploitation of marine resources has ample scope for future partnership. In this partnership, the FIPIC has emerged as the major platform for strengthening and expanding this partnership. The successful conclusion of FIPIC III Summit will go long way in that direction. But India needs to pursue sincerely the implementation of new initiatives announced during the summit. It should not be allowed the lapse amidst other pressing engagements of India. India also needs to step up regular consultation at highest level with the Pacific Island Countries. Unlike the past, the momentum created by FIPIC III in the India-Pacific Island partnership should not be allowed to slow down in future.
REFERENCES
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