Prime Minister Narendra Modi will land in Papua New Guinea (PNG) today after the Quad summit in Hiroshima in Japan. PNG Prime Minister James Marape will receive Modi at the airport. Usually, the island country doesn’t give a ceremonial welcome to any leader after sunset but an exception has been made for PM Modi.
It will be the first visit by the Indian Prime Minister to PNG.
PM Modi has a packed schedule in PNG where he will jointly host the third Summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Island Cooperation (FIPIC), which will see participation of leaders from 14 countries, with PNG’s Marape.
Modi and Marape are expected to host a crucial bilateral meeting wherein both sides will seek to strengthen bilateral ties as New Delhi is worried about the island nation’s proximity with China.
“I look forward to engaging with PIC (Pacific Island Countries) leaders on issues that bring us together, such as climate change and sustainable development, capacity building and training, health and well-being, infrastructure and economic development,” Modi had said.
Last November, Marape had met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Bangkok in which Beijing had called PNG a “good friend” and that both countries are “good partners and good brothers”.
The island-nation has become a priority for India as well as members of the QUAD grouping like the US and Australia as they deepen relationships with Pacific island-nations as China aims to assert its influence in the region.
On his third leg of the visit, PM Modi will visit Sydney and hold a bilateral meeting with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese. Modi is also expected to announce The Harris Park area in Parramatta, Australia, as ‘Little India’ during a community event.
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