India and Fiji deepen defence ties with maritime, cyber and training cooperation
India and Fiji held their second bilateral defence working group meeting in New Delhi, focusing on maritime security, cyber training and defence-industry collaboration, and planning a Fijian naval visit to Kochi.
On Monday, senior representatives from India and Fiji met in New Delhi for the second India-Fiji Bilateral Joint Working Group, reviewing a broad agenda that included maritime security, cyber training, defence-industry collaboration and enhanced institutional links between their armed forces. The session was jointly chaired by Amitabh Prasad, joint secretary of India’s defence ministry, and Mason Smith, Fiji’s permanent secretary for defence and veterans affairs, with a separate discussion between Smith and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.
Delegates agreed to expand defence cooperation, and Fiji’s team is scheduled to visit Kochi on September 29-30 to tour the Southern Naval Command and formalise advanced naval and professional aviation training programmes. Prior to the talks, Smith paid respects at the National War Memorial, and the Fijian group visited the DPSU Bhavan at the World Trade Centre, where they were briefed on India’s indigenous defence manufacturing under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The meeting underscored the importance both countries place on a free, open Indo-Pacific and affirmed a commitment to regular engagement and deeper cooperation.
