India, Fiji expand defence ties, step up maritime and naval training cooperation

India and Fiji on Monday discussed expanding defence and maritime cooperation, including military training, capacity building and defence industry collaboration, as the two countries held the second meeting of their Bilateral Joint Working Group in New Delhi.

The meeting was co-chaired by Amitabh Prasad, Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) in the Ministry of Defence, and Mason Smith, Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Defence and Veterans Affairs. The discussions covered service-to-service engagements, maritime security, cyber training and greater institutional cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries.

Maritime ties in focus

India reiterated the importance it attaches to Fiji and other Pacific Island countries as part of its vision for a free, open, inclusive and secure Indo-Pacific. Both sides expressed satisfaction over the growing defence engagement and agreed to expand cooperation in mutually beneficial areas.

The discussions also focused on strengthening maritime cooperation, an area that has increasingly figured in bilateral engagements between New Delhi and Suva. India and Fiji agreed to maintain regular exchanges as they explore additional areas for collaboration.

Naval training planned

As part of efforts to expand specialised military training, the Fijian delegation is scheduled to visit Kochi on September 29 and 30. It will inspect facilities at the Indian Navy’s Southern Naval Command as the two countries look to formalise advanced naval training cooperation.

The visit will also explore professional aviation training modules aimed at strengthening technical proficiency and operational coordination between the two maritime forces.

Defence industry cooperation

Smith separately met Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on the sidelines of the Joint Working Group meeting. Their discussions focused on strengthening bilateral defence and maritime cooperation and identifying opportunities for greater collaboration between the defence industries of the two countries.

The Fijian delegation also visited DPSU Bhavan at the World Trade Centre in New Delhi, where it was briefed on India’s indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities. The delegation was shown exhibition displays and advanced Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality simulation facilities designed to recreate battlefield conditions.

Institutional engagement

India and Fiji have been gradually expanding their institutional defence relationship. The two countries signed an MoU on defence cooperation in 2017, while the inaugural Defence Joint Working Group meeting was held in Fiji in July 2025.

The mechanism provides a structured platform for the two sides to discuss military training, capacity building, maritime security and other areas of defence cooperation.

Pacific partnership

Before the bilateral talks, Smith visited the National War Memorial in New Delhi and paid tribute to Indian soldiers. The Ministry of Defence said the meeting provided an opportunity to consolidate the existing partnership and identify new avenues for cooperation.

Both sides agreed to continue regular engagements and deepen bilateral defence cooperation, with maritime security and specialised training emerging as key areas for the next phase of the partnership.