PM Modi arrived in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, today. He is the first Indian prime minister to travel there. His arrival at the airport was greeted by the PM of Papa New Guinea.

On Sunday, PM Modi arrived in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. The PM of Papua New Guinea, James Marape, met him at the airport and blessed him because he is the first Indian prime minister to visit the country. Papua New Guinea was reached. PM James Marape's presence at the airport to greet me is much appreciated. This is a truly thoughtful gesture that I will never forget. During my visit, I hope to strengthen India's ties with this wonderful country, the Indian PM said on Twitter. 

Before reaching Papua New Guinea, PM Modi was in Hiroshima, Japan, for the G7 summit. A meeting of Quad nations was also held in Hiroshima. In Papua New Guinea, PM Modi will hold a meeting with leaders of FIPIC (Forum for India-Pacfic Islands Cooperation). 

What is FIPIC.

A forum called the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) was created to promote closer ties and increased cooperation between India and the Pacific Island nations. During his trip to Fiji in November 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the programme. The forum's objectives are to improve bilateral ties, advance sustainable development, and deal with problems that all nations in the India-Pacific area confront.

Some more glimpses from a very special welcome in Papua New Guinea. pic.twitter.com/uHFCV2j0FA

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 21, 2023

The Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu are among the 14 island nations that make up the FIPIC. The Pacific Island Countries (PICs) are all of these nations put together. India acts as a link between the Indian subcontinent and the PICs because it is the forum's driving power.

The goals of FIPIC centre on a number of important topics, such as capacity building, trade and investment, renewable energy, sustainable development, climate change, and cross-cultural interactions. The forum offers a venue for discussion and collaboration, enabling member nations to exchange best practises, information, and experiences in various fields.

One of the main attractions of FIPIC is the regular summit meetings, which bring together leaders from India and the Pacific Island nations to discuss and formulate strategies on a range of problems of shared interest. High-level involvement is possible at these summits, allowing leaders to discuss issues and look for opportunities for collaboration. Fiji's Suva hosted the first FIPIC Summit in 2015; since then, summits have also been conducted in India and other participant nations.

To improve cooperation between India and the Pacific Island nations, FIPIC has enabled a number of initiatives and projects. Programmes for strengthening capacity, scholarships for Pacific Island students to study in India, partnerships in the healthcare industry, collaboration in disaster management, and the creation of renewable energy projects are a few of these initiatives. In order to encourage regional economic growth and infrastructural development, India has also provided lines of credit to PICs.