India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, had a warm meet-up with the Indian community in Papua New Guinea on Tuesday. He called them a “living bridge” that connects India and PNG, praising their key role in boosting ties between the two countries through culture, business, and community work.
Sharing his thoughts on social media platform X, Margherita said, “A heartwarming evening with our vibrant Indian family in Papua New Guinea. Over 4,000 strong, they are a living bridge between India and PNG, playing a pivotal role in strengthening our partnership through cultural, economic, and community contributions.”
The day before, Margherita met Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape and passed on greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India. This was to celebrate PNG’s 50th Independence Day anniversary. He highlighted both nations’ strong commitment to building deeper bilateral relations and people-to-people connections.
In another X post, Margherita wrote, “Honoured to call on Hon’ble James Marape, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea. Conveyed warm greetings from PM Shri Narendra Modi ji and the people of India 🇮🇳 on the occasion of #PNGAt50. Both countries remain committed to deepening bilateral and people-to-people ties.”
Margherita landed in Port Moresby on Monday for an official visit to Papua New Guinea. He’s there to represent PM Modi at events marking the country’s 50th anniversary of independence. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expects him to hold bilateral meetings with PNG’s top leaders during the trip.
This visit builds on the momentum from the 3rd Summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) in May 2023. PM Modi chaired that event in Port Moresby, hosted jointly with PM Marape. The MEA noted that Margherita’s trip offers a great chance to keep engaging with leaders from Pacific Island Countries (PICs).
It also follows PM Modi’s landmark 2023 visit to Papua New Guinea, where India and PNG pledged to strengthen bilateral relations, grow development partnerships, and boost defence cooperation. Launched in 2014, FIPIC brings together India and 14 Pacific Island nations, including Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
These interactions show India’s growing focus on ties with Pacific Island Countries, fostering stronger India-PNG relations and regional cooperation.
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