India and Fiji agree to expand defense and maritime security cooperation

India and Fiji have agreed to enhance defense cooperation following the second bilateral Joint Working Group meeting held in New Delhi. The discussions focused on strengthening institutional ties between their armed forces, specifically in areas such as military training, capacity building, maritime security, cyber training, and the defense industry.

India reiterated the importance of Fiji and other Pacific Island nations in its vision for a free, open, inclusive, and secure Indo-Pacific. To formalize specialized military training, a Fijian delegation is scheduled to visit Kochi on September 29 and 30 to inspect facilities at the Southern Naval Command. This visit aims to establish advanced naval and professional aviation training modules to improve technical proficiency and operational synergy.

The delegation also visited the DPSU building at the World Trade Center to learn about India’s indigenous defense manufacturing capabilities and progress under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.