Suva [Fiji], May 16 : Union Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh on Monday reaffirmed India's strong commitment to Fiji.
"Minister of State for External Affairs Hon'ble @RanjanRajkuma11 conveyed warmest greetings of the Government & the people of India on the special occasion of #GirmitDay. Reaffirms India's strong commitment to further strengthening our partnership for progress with Fiji," tweeted the High Commission of India in Suva.
Singh is on an official visit to Fiji on May 15-16 at the invitation of the Government of the Republic of Fiji.
MoS was the Guest of Honor at the Girmit Day celebrations organized today in Suva by the Government of Fiji to recognize and celebrate the history and contributions of indentured Indian workers to Fiji, read the Ministry of External Affairs press release.
Singh's visit comes ahead of the India-Pacific Island summit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address the India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) summit and announce a number of initiatives aimed at deepening India's engagement with the Pacific Islands. He will attend the FIPIC summit in Papua New Guinea on May 21-22.
Prime Minister of Fiji, Sitiveni Rabuka, was the Chief Guest at the Girmit Day celebrations, which was attended by a large number of dignitaries and people of Fiji.
During his visit, MoS called on Sitiveni Rabuka. MoS also interacted with leaders and representatives of the Indian community in Fiji, added the release.
In these engagements, MoS was joined by the Administrator (UTs of Dadra Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu and Lakshadweep) Praful Patel, who is on his first visit to the country. Before concluding his visit, MoS would also be meeting senior Fijian Cabinet Ministers on 16 May 2023.
A day earlier, Sitiveni Rabuka on Sunday apologised to the Indo-Fijian community for the coup of 1987. Fiji, where ethnic Indians were in a majority until the aftermath of a military coup in 1987 forced tens of thousands of them to leave the country of 330 islands. Staged by Rabuka, it overthrew the elected government of Prime Minister Timoci Bavadra, who was the country's first ethnic Indian prime minister.
"I make this confession on my own behalf and on behalf of all those who took part with me in the military coup on the 14th of May, 1987. We confess our wrongdoings, and we confess that we have hurt so many of our people in Fiji, particularly those of the Indo-Fijian community," tweeted Rabuka.
The apology by Rabuka is seen as a significant step towards reconciliation between the indigenous Fijian and Indian communities.
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