India has pledged and committed to a number of projects and assistance to all Pacific Island countries at the Jaipur meeting.
It includes the setting up of a satellite tracking system in the region and also the building of a manufacturing and distribution center for India’s generic medicines in the region.
Narendra Modi outlined India’s plans in the region saying it was a strategy to expand its presence in the Pacific
The Prime Minister announced a major plan to open a new space research and satellite monitoring station, most probably in Fiji.
“A satellite monitoring station in Fiji will provide India with an independent satellite tracking capacity. At present, India relies on the United States and Australia to assist it with monitoring its satellites over the Pacific. Fiji ‘s support was valuable for our Mars mission and we hope to continue to receive support from Pacific islands for our missions in the future”.
And Fiji was again mentioned by Modi.
“Human resources development had been a key area of co-operation for technical assistance and training. Fiji will receive 110 slots and the number of slots for other 13 countries will be doubled from 119 to 238”
Modi said India will continue to train Pacific women to become solar engineers under its bare-foot college initiative – 43 women from the region have become solar engineers in the past 3 years.
“We now commit to train 70 women as solar engineers and will provide solar electrification to 2900 houses, 200 homes in each Pacific island country. This will save kerosene worth about US1 million dollars and provide livelihood to them.”
In the health sector, there was a major announcement by the Indian Prime Minister.
“Supply of generic drugs from India is presently routed through a 3rd country and therefore expensive. We are ready to set up pharmaceutical manufacturing plant and a distribution centre in the Pacific region and are pleased to offer a line of credit for this project”
The Indian Prime Minister said he was looking forward to meeting all the Pacific island leaders at a similar summit next year.