In a rare diplomatic gesture, the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea (PNG) James Marape visited the two Indian Naval ships that made a port call at Port Moresby and called for more such naval visits and increased defence cooperation. The two frontline warships under the Eastern Naval Command, INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata, arrived on Wednesday as India sharpens into focus on the Pacific.
“PM Marape welcomed Indian Naval Ships; thanked PM Modi for visiting PNG in May 2023. Encouraged more defence cooperation, naval visits, people-to-people ties, fruitful exchange, outcome,” the Indian High Commission in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, said in a post on social media. “Thank PM’s inspiring address on coexistence, encouraging regular defence visits. Thank Hon’ble Ministers Daki, Tkatchenko, Schnaubelt, Masiu; Governors Parkop, Bird and Sasindran. Landmark in bilateral ties!,” it added.
In May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited PNG and attended the 3rd summit of the Forum for India Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) where he spoke in favour of free and open Indo-Pacific region and focused on India’s commitment to assist the development goals of the member-countries of FIPIC. Stating that the small Island nations of the Pacific Ocean are in fact “large ocean states”, Mr. Modi had stated that New Delhi will continue to help the Pacific island states in “every possible” way.
“One humanity living in one village of Planet Earth, to coexist, find common ground,” Mr. Marape said in his address onboard. “May this be not the last but start of many many more regular visits and interface between our defence forces and Indian defence forces, between our Navy, and your navy, and the exchange may consolidate which is a very good government to government, people to people relations.”
Indian High Commissioner Inbasekar Sundaramurthi hosted a reception to honour Mr. Marape and his Cabinet.
The Pacific Island nations have been in focus of late as China signed a security agreement last year with the Solomon Islands while the U.S. and PNG concluded a defence partnership agreement.
Last month, India and France had agreed to “expand cooperation” in the Pacific as they also adopted a roadmap for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
The FIPIC consists of Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Both the warships are indigenously designed and constructed. While INS Sahyadri is the third ship built under Project-17 class stealth frigates, INS Kolkata is the first ship of Project-15A class destroyers.
