India Gains Strategic Partner Status in Pacific Islands Forum

The Government of India has been granted strategic partner status within the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), a designation confirmed via a letter from PIF Secretary General Baron Waqa. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced the development during the second Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) Foreign Ministers' meeting on September 23 and 24, 2026, held in New York on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly.

During the meetings, Jaishankar detailed an expanded regional engagement strategy focused on healthcare and sustainable infrastructure. Key projects include the construction of a 100-bedded super-speciality hospital in Fiji and the delivery of 20 sea ambulances by March 2027. India is also solarizing 2,800 households across 14 countries and training 70 women solar engineers. Jaishankar encouraged member states to join the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure to mitigate the effects of El Nino.

Foreign ministers from nations including Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and the Marshall Islands reaffirmed their commitment to a partnership centered on climate action and disaster resilience. Jaishankar stated that India fully supports the Pacific Islands Forum's 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, describing India's regional approach as demand-driven and people-centric.