India has reaffirmed its commitment to work closely with Pacific partner countries and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).
Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita today announced at the PIF Dialogue Partners’ Session in Tonga that India will undertake ‘Quick Impact Projects’ (QIPs) of each country’s choice worth 50,000 US dollars in each of the 14 Pacific island countries.
QIPs are small-scale, low-cost projects that are designed to deliver rapid results and have a significant impact on communities, for example- infrastructure projects and economic development initiatives.
In the dialogue session, the Minister reminded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a 12-point action plan during the third Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation Summit held in Papua New Guinea, last year. This included the setting up of a 100-bedded regional Super-specialty Hospital in Suva (Fiji), a Regional IT and Cyber Security Training Hub in Papua New Guinea, 1000 Scholarships over the next five years, a supply of Dialysis Units, and Generic Medicine Pharmacy outlets.
The Minister said, the Indian government’s approach to the Blue Pacific Continent is based on the country’s ancient philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. He said, India is committed to respond the vulnerabilities caused by natural hazards in the Pacific including the threat posed by climate change and rising sea level.
