Forum for India-Pacific Island Cooperation (FIPIC)

News: External Affairs Minister hosted a FIPIC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New York on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly.

About Forum for India-Pacific Island Cooperation (FIPIC)

About FIPIC	The Forum for India–Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) is a multilateral platform and a strategic initiative by India.
Established	Established in 2014 during Prime Minister’s visit to Fiji.
Member	It comprises 14 Pacific Island nations — Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
FIPIC Summits	1st Summit took place in Suva, Fiji, on 19 November 2014. 2nd Summit followed in Jaipur, Rajasthan, in August 2015. 3rd Summit took place in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on 22 May 2023
Aim	To strengthen India’s diplomatic, economic, and cultural engagement with the Pacific Island Countries.
Significance	Geostrategic: The 14 PICs hold significance due to location and maritime resources, shaping India’s Indo-Pacific outreach. Multilateral influence: Their votes matter in international forums such as the United Nations. Developmental partnership: Cooperation spans energy, sustainable growth, health, technology, capacity building, and training. Strategic balancing: Engagement serves to counterbalance growing Chinese influence.
Issues	Despite importance, FIPIC remains relatively unknown beyond diplomatic and academic circles.