External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on 24 September chaired a meeting of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) Foreign Ministers on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, where India and Pacific Island Countries (PICs) reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation across renewable energy, climate action, disaster resilience, education, healthcare, and capacity building, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Who Attended the Meeting

The gathering drew senior representation from across the Pacific region. Delegates included the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Samoa; the Foreign Ministers of Fiji, Marshall Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu; Tonga's Finance Minister; the Secretary of the Department of Justice and Attorney General of Micronesia; the Health Minister of Vanuatu; the Deputy Foreign Minister of Naoero; and the Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).

Key Outcomes and the 12-Point Action Plan

Participants reviewed progress from previous FIPIC Summits and welcomed advances in India-PIC cooperation, specifically under the 12-Point Action Plan announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023. The MEA stated that the meeting 'reaffirmed the commitment to strengthen the FIPIC partnership and cooperation in regional and multilateral fora.' The action plan spans healthcare, renewables, connectivity, technology, and capacity building — sectors where, according to Jaishankar, significant progress has already been achieved.

India's Approach: Demand-Driven and People-Centric

Jaishankar underscored that India's engagement with the Pacific has consistently been 'demand-driven, development-oriented and people-centric.' He also expressed full support for the Pacific Islands Forum's 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, signalling alignment with the region's own long-term development vision. Notably, he acknowledged that El Niño poses serious challenges for Pacific Island nations and said India stands ready to help mitigate its adverse effects.

Space, Oceans, and Green Alliances

Jaishankar highlighted India's efforts to cooperate with PICs in space technology and sustainable coastal and ocean research. He also encouraged all participating nations to join the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, both of which already have active projects on climate change, renewable energy, and sustainable development underway across the Pacific.

Why It Matters

The FIPIC framework, launched in 2014, represents India's structured diplomatic outreach to a region that is geopolitically consequential — particularly as major powers compete for influence in the Indo-Pacific. This meeting, held at the UN's premier annual forum, reinforces India's 'Neighbourhood First' and 'Global South solidarity' postures simultaneously. With climate vulnerability and sustainable financing at the top of every Pacific nation's agenda, India's push for green partnerships carries both strategic and humanitarian weight. All eyes will now be on implementation timelines under the 2023 Action Plan and India's disbursement commitments in the months ahead.