External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, delivered a message of solidarity and cooperation during the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to fund four community development projects in the Marshall Islands.
The South Pacific is important for India because of its strategic location. China is trying to expand its influence in the area and Australia and the US are seeking to counter it. China has used its strategy of making investments in infrastructure projects and schools with the objective of gaining military and diplomatic leverage in the island nations. As a peace-loving country committed to defuse tensions wherever they occur, India is also keen to boost ties with the Pacific island nations.
Prime Minister Modi was garlanded by BJP National President JP Nadda and party members on his arrival at the airport.
Long before the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue was re-established in 2017, and in almost its first major diplomatic outreach under Prime Minister Modi, India had taken up engagement with Pacific Island countries with the establishment of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC).
On the third leg of his visit prime minister Modi will visit Sydney in Australia where he will hold a bilateral meeting with Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese.
