India-PNG second Foreign Office Consultations deepen bilateral ties across sectors
Synopsis
India and Papua New Guinea have quietly built one of their most structured diplomatic frameworks in years — the second Foreign Office Consultations, held virtually on 13 June, reviewed the full bilateral relationship just months after a ministerial visit and PM Modi's landmark FIPIC III summit. The pace of engagement signals that India's Pacific outreach is no longer ceremonial.
Key Takeaways
India and Papua New Guinea held the second round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) virtually on 13 June .
The Indian side was led by Vishwesh Negi , Joint Secretary (Oceania), MEA; PNG was represented by Elias Wohengu , Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Talks covered development partnership, political engagement, economic cooperation, cultural ties, and Indo-Pacific cooperation.
The first FOC was held in Port Moresby in 2022 ; the third round will also be held there.
PM Modi co-hosted the FIPIC III Summit in Port Moresby in 2023 , committing to deeper bilateral and defence ties.
MoS Pabitra Margherita visited PNG in September 2024 to represent India at PNG's 50th Independence anniversary .
India and Papua New Guinea (PNG) held the second round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in virtual mode on 13 June, conducting a comprehensive review of bilateral relations spanning development partnership, political engagement, economic cooperation, and cultural ties. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the positive trajectory of the relationship and agreed to further strengthen ongoing collaboration.
What the Consultations Covered
The Indian delegation was led by Vishwesh Negi, Joint Secretary (Oceania) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), while Elias Wohengu, Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, headed the PNG side. According to the MEA, the two sides also discussed cooperation in multilateral forums, the Indo-Pacific framework, and exchanged views on regional and global developments of mutual interest.
Context: Building on Recent Diplomatic Momentum
The first FOC was held in Port Moresby in 2022, and both sides agreed that the next round will again be hosted in Port Moresby at a mutually convenient date. This latest round follows a period of heightened engagement between the two nations. In September 2024, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita visited Papua New Guinea to represent Prime Minister Narendra Modi at commemorative events marking the country's 50th anniversary of Independence. During the visit, Margherita called on Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape and conveyed greetings from Modi and the people of India.
Separately, President Droupadi Murmu sent a letter to Papua New Guinea's Governor-General Sir Bob Bofeng Dadae, conveying warm greetings from the people and the Government of India on the occasion of PNG's golden jubilee.
The Modi Visit and FIPIC III Legacy
Margherita's visit itself built on the momentum of Prime Minister Modi's landmark 2023 visit to Port Moresby, where he co-hosted the FIPIC III Summit alongside Prime Minister Marape. The Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC), launched in 2014, brings together India and 14 Pacific Island Countries (PICs) — including the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu, among others. The summit resulted in commitments to deepen bilateral relations, expand development partnerships, and enhance defence cooperation.
What Comes Next
The agreement to hold the third FOC in Port Moresby signals that both nations intend to maintain the structured diplomatic cadence established since 2022. As India continues to expand its Pacific engagement through FIPIC and bilateral channels, PNG remains a key partner in the region — and the latest consultations indicate that relationship is on a steady upward curve.
Point of View
But the cadence tells a different story. India has gone from near-absent in the Pacific to hosting FIPIC III, dispatching a minister to PNG's golden jubilee, and now institutionalising annual consultations — all within three years. The real question is whether this structured engagement translates into concrete development disbursements and defence cooperation milestones, or remains a framework without delivery. For a region where China's infrastructure diplomacy has made deep inroads, India's Pacific pivot needs visible outcomes, not just communiqués.
NationPress
30 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the India-PNG Foreign Office Consultation (FOC)?
The Foreign Office Consultation is a structured bilateral diplomatic mechanism between India and Papua New Guinea to review the full range of their relationship. The second round was held virtually on 13 June, covering development partnership, economic cooperation, cultural ties, and Indo-Pacific issues.
Who represented India and PNG at the second FOC?
India was represented by Vishwesh Negi, Joint Secretary (Oceania) at the Ministry of External Affairs. Papua New Guinea was represented by Elias Wohengu, Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
What is FIPIC and why does it matter for India-PNG ties?
FIPIC, or the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation, is a grouping launched in 2014 that brings India and 14 Pacific Island Countries together. PM Modi co-hosted the FIPIC III Summit in Port Moresby in 2023 with PNG PM James Marape, making it a cornerstone of India's Pacific engagement strategy.
When did India last have high-level engagement with Papua New Guinea?
In September 2024, Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita visited Papua New Guinea to represent PM Modi at the country's 50th Independence anniversary, meeting PM James Marape. This followed PM Modi's own visit to Port Moresby in 2023 for the FIPIC III Summit.
Where will the next round of India-PNG Foreign Office Consultations be held?
Both sides agreed that the third round of Foreign Office Consultations will be held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, at a mutually convenient date.
