Theme

Key Details

Historical Background

•         India’s association with Fiji began in 1879 when Indian labourers were taken under the indenture system by the British to work on sugar-cane plantations.

•         India had a Commissioner in Fiji from 1948 to safeguard the interests of people of Indian origin until Fiji’s independence in 1970, while Fiji set up its High Commission in New Delhi in 2004.

Political

 Relations

•         The Forum for India Pacific Islands Cooperation was launched in Fiji in 2014, followed by summits in Jaipur in 2015 and in Papua New Guinea in 2023.

•         India and Fiji have also collaborated through the India Pacific Islands Sustainable Development Conference, and Fiji is an active member of the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, and the Global Biofuel Alliance.

Defence Cooperation

•         The Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation was signed in 2017.

•         Fiji’s Defence Minister visited India in February 2025 to attend AERO India 2025 and hold a bilateral meeting with his Indian counterpart.

Commercial

and Economic Relations

•         India’s exports to Fiji grew from US $76.28 million (2023–24) to US $84.67 million (2024–25), showing an increased demand for Indian goods in the Fijian market.

•         India’s imports from Fiji rose modestly from US $1.19 million (2023–24) to US $1.54 million (2024–25).

•         India maintained a substantial trade surplus with Fiji, which expanded from US $75.09 million in 2023–24 to United States Dollar 83.13 million in 2024–25.

Pharmacopoeial Cooperation

•         In 2025, India and Fiji signed an MoU on Pharmacopoeial Cooperation, recognizing Indian Pharmacopoeia for market authorization of Indian medicines and enabling the opening of a Jan Aushadhi Kendra in Fiji.