 | This article needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(November 2014) |
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 India |  Fiji |
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| Diplomatic mission | |
| High Commission of India, Suva | High Commission of Fiji, New Delhi |
Fiji–India relations are the foreign relations betweenFiji andIndia. Fiji has a high commission inNew Delhi, whilst India has a high commission inSuva.
There are strong cultural links between the countries as 38 percent of Fiji's population is ofIndian descent. India has used its influence in international forums such as theCommonwealth of Nations andUnited Nations on behalf of ethnic Indians in Fiji, lobbying forsanctions against Fiji in the wake of the1987 coups and the2000 coup, both of which removed the incumbent governments. In the first case the government was dominated by Indo-Fijians while in the second case it was led by Indo-Fijians.[1] Hindi is also an official language in both countries, throughFiji Hindi in Fiji andHindi in India
On 15 August 2005, Prime MinisterLaisenia Qarase said that theGovernment of India had loanedF$86 million for the upgrading of Fiji's sugar mills, which would be completed in time for the 2007-2008 crushing season. This was to enable Fiji to diversify itssugar industry intobio-fuels. IndianHigh CommissionerAjay Singh said that his country had also offered technical expertise with the restructuring of the industry. He was speaking at theIndia National Day celebrations in Suva.[citation needed]
Following themilitary coup of 5 December 2006, the Indian Government policy was to engage with Fiji's interim administration rather than isolate the country.[2]
At the second summit of the Pacific Islands countries, held in Jaipur in August 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced plans to open a space research and satellite monitoring station in Fiji. The station will enable India the capability to track satellites independently. India previously relied on the United States and Australia to assist it with monitoring its satellites over the Pacific.[3]
Qarase and hisForeign Minister,Kaliopate Tavola, began a week-long state visit to India on 8 October, to open Fiji's newHigh Commission inNew Delhi. The High Commission had hitherto operated out of a hotel. About 50 local businessmen accompanied the Prime Minister.
On 10 October, Qarase and hisIndian counterpart,Manmohan Singh, signed four agreements. The most important is a three-year cooperation agreement inNew Delhi. The agreement, most of which covers development cooperation, can be extended by mutual consent. They also signed a health service partnership agreement, while Tavola and India's Tourism MinisterRenuka Chowdhury signed atourism agreement.
Singh urged Fiji to embrace multiculturalism as a permanent part of its identity. Qarase said that Singh had told him he understood the difficulty of forging unity in a multiracial nation because India was in a similar situation. He said that Singh had deniedOpposition LeaderMahendra Chaudhry's earlier hint that India would not help Fiji if it passed its controversialReconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill, a claim made by Chaudhry on his return to Fiji in September.
Speaking inSydney,Australia, on 16 October, Qarase judged his just-concluded Indian visit a success. He said that one of the highlights for him was his visit to theBanariaman sugar mill inMysore. He said that Fiji could learn a great deal from the Indian sugar industry.
India hasISRO's satellite tracking and intelligence station in Fiji.[4] In 2017, India and Fiji signed a defence pact for strengthening Fiji's naval capabilities, training and arms production, etc.[4]
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