India expands development footprint in the Pacific with Margherita’s Vanuatu and Tuvalu visit
New Delhi, April 26. As part of New Delhi’s steadily expanding engagement with the Pacific island nations under its Act East Policy and the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) framework, Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles Pabitra Margherita undertook an official visit to Vanuatu and Tuvalu from April 22 to 25, focusing on capacity building, digital development, healthcare cooperation and climate resilience.
India’s outreach to the Pacific islands, institutionalised since 2014 through FIPIC, has increasingly prioritised project-based developmental cooperation tailored to the needs of small island states that are among the most vulnerable to climate change and resource constraints. Margherita’s visit reflected this approach, emphasising people-centric initiatives over high-profile strategic posturing.
In Port Vila, Vanuatu, Margherita called on Prime Minister Jotham Napat and held bilateral talks with Acting Foreign Minister Xavier Emanuel Harry. Discussions centred on strengthening cooperation in digital capacity building, economic engagement, multilateral coordination and climate resilience. He also visited the India-supported Centre of Excellence in Information Technology (CeIT), interacting with students and alumni and announcing additional Indian assistance, including food grains, IT hardware and software support, and medical treatment for 10 patients in India under the ‘Heal in India’ initiative. The visit marked only the second ministerial-level visit from India to Vanuatu.
The second leg took Margherita to Funafuti in Tuvalu where he met Governor-General Tofinga Vaevalu Falani and Acting Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Paulson Panapa. He also held meetings with senior ministers overseeing climate change, education and health. The talks focused on healthcare cooperation, heritage conservation, climate adaptation and people-to-people ties.
Margherita visited Princess Margaret Hospital and engaged with healthcare professionals, reiterating India’s support for strengthening Tuvalu’s health systems through training and technical cooperation. During a state banquet, he handed over a cheque for a Quick Impact Project aimed at preserving cultural and heritage sites. India also announced assistance including a sea ambulance, food grain support and sponsorship of 10 patients for specialised treatment in India.
The visit reinforced India’s image as a trusted development partner for Pacific island nations, demonstrating how New Delhi is translating FIPIC commitments into tangible outcomes on the ground while deepening its diplomatic footprint across the wider Indo-Pacific.
