India Provides 'Leadership' to Global South, Fiji Deputy PM Tells Zee News

Fiji's Deputy PM Biman Chand Prasad in conversation with Zee News states that India is a global power, and it provides leadership to the global south.

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Pitching for stronger ties with India, Fiji's Deputy PM Biman Chand Prasad stated that his country would like to "strengthen the relationship, we want a meaningful, deeper engagement." This is the first high-level visit from Fiji following the formation of the new Government under Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka in December 2022. Speaking to Zee News, he said, "India is a global power. India provides leadership to the global south and within the Indo-Pacific strategy, India has an important role, and Fiji on the other hand is the hub of the Pacific.”

During the India visit, he held talks with EAM Jaishankar, Minister of State, Ministry of External Affairs, Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, and attended the first India Energy Week (IEW) 2023. The visit of Deputy Prime Minister Prasad comes a few days before the 12th World Hindi Conference which will be jointly hosted by India and Fiji in Nadi, Fiji, from 15-17 February 2023. 

The visiting Deputy PM also lauded his country's ties with Australia highlighting how "Australia does provide that confidence to many of those pacific island countries in terms of how we can deal with the challenges". 

Here are excerpts from the interview:

Zee News: India Fiji relationship is a relationship that has a historical background, its close relationship, and Fiji has an important role in the wider Indo-Pacific as well. 

Biman Prasad: Fiji considers India as an old and historical friend, a friend whose values are universal, which believes in democracy, human rights, media freedom, rule of law, and the practice of good governance. The relationship that the current government would like to build is to strengthen the relationship, we want a meaningful, deeper engagement with India. India provides leadership to the global south and within the Indo-Pacific strategy, India has an important role, and Fiji, on the other hand, is the hub of the Pacific. 

I can tell, our PM Sitiveni Rabuka visited Kiribati. Kiribati had decided through other influences to leave the Pacific island forum, which is the forum of political leaders within the region. Kiribati is back in the forum and Fiji plays a very important role to strengthen the Indo-Pacific strategy and economic strategy, Fiji and India with other 3 countries - Australia, Japan, and US will play an important role.  

Zee News: How do you see Fiji's centrality in the Pacific?

Biman Prasad: India is a global power, India has a lot to offer, India is the largest democracy, and more importantly India provides a lot of cutting-edge entrepreneurship, and innovation in the whole area of energy, climate change and I saw this in the India energy week summit in Bangalore, the kind of products India is developing is very very interesting. For small island states and many others from the developing world, India can provide that leading role in developing climate-friendly, climate-resilient infrastructure. Contribute to the whole process of decarbonization, looking at alternative sources of energy.

Zee News: There have been worries for Indian-origin people in Fiji, there has been a past, how can you assure that?

Biman Prasad: Those people who look at the compartmentalization, perhaps get it wrong sometimes. We have 143 years of history in that country. By and large, we had political problems, we had coups, and we had challenges but by and large indigenous community and major other communities–the Indo-Fijian community has worked together for 143 years. They get together by and large, do things together and there is a leadership commitment especially with this govt to ensure we run a very inclusive, open, transparent govt where everybody feels, the philosophy of the new govt is working together in partnership. 

It is about consultation and dialogue, I don't see any threat, we don't see, we have different ethnic, and cultural practices. Infact, the new government has decided on an indigenous language, and Hindi to be a very prominent language and will be allowed to be used in Parliament. So I could go to Parliament and speak in Hindi. So, some of those concerns are misplaced, it is coming from those people who think they can exploit racial sensitivities and challenges and unfortunately that is not the case with this government.  

Zee News: How important is the World Hindi conference for your govt if you can answer that in Hindi?

Biman Prasad: (He answered in Hindi, here’s the translation) The World Hindi conference that will take place in Fiji is very historic because the Indian origin people who have settled in Fiji, their language, and culture is linked with India. Hindi has been used in our country for the last 143 years, and Hindi is being taught in schools. While the school system had a few issues, the new government is giving Hindi and Adivasi languages a priority. 

The World Hindi conference is taking place at an opportune time, a time in which Hindi is being promoted by our Govt. EAM Jaishankar will be traveling to Fiji, other people are coming from India. People from countries with Indian diasporas, like Suriname, Trinidad, Mauritius, and Guyana are also coming. It's a nice thing that we are hosting these meetings.

Zee News: If you can also sum up India-Fiji ties in Hindi

Biman Prasad: (He answered in Hindi, here’s the translation) India and Fiji have historic ties, and our govt will promote that, we believe that India today is a strong nation economically, politically, and strategically. India is a leader, and Fiji, a small country can have a lot of opportunities if we work with your country. This is our agenda and our government's focus. I am happy to be in India and my conversations here with EAM Jaishankar and other ministers have been very successful.

Zee News: What do you expect from New Delhi in terms of the development partnership, in sectors like health and defence?

Biman Prasad: I had a discussion with EAM Jaishankar on a range of issues, which include health, energy, and IT, and India's e-governance program is quite extensive. I have understood the extensive nature of India's e-governance program, and how it has contributed to the efficiency of governance in India has been very good. For sure, India has a lot to offer in that area and that is one area in which Fiji would like to work with India. 

Fiji is an ideal hub, so Indian companies, Indian investment, and investors could use Fiji to get into the larger pacific region. 

Zee News: Fiji has scrapped the security pact with China, what is the reason for that?

Biman Prasad: It is simple, we have had historical relations with our traditional partners, and this is the government that believes in universal values of freedom, democracy, human rights, rule of law, and good governance we are identifying countries that uphold those values. In the Pacific, we have countries, like we have our diplomatic relationship with China. That is there, our focus, and the focus of many pacific island countries who believe in universal values, and working with our traditional partners is going to give them the confidence to address some of the more pressing issues like the impact of climate change, extreme weather patterns, many of these pacific island countries have vulnerable economies, from that point of view. 

Zee News: You think China will be annoyed by scrapping the pact?

Biman Prasad: I am not sure of that, not for me to say. Of Course, different countries perceive different relationships, and different configurations, where countries place themselves with others. As far as Fiji is concerned, we have said very clearly that our foreign policy and our economic agenda are tied to universal values and tied the idea of a free Indo pacific region, an inclusive Indo pacific region based on some of these principles. That gives us natural affiliation with countries, and India is part of the Indo-Pacific strategy. 

Zee News: But do you think, the Pacific has become the centre of geopolitical tensions with the US, and China?

Biman Prasad: There will always be that kind of tension, that kind of contest for influence. It is up to us in the region, as I said at the Pacific forum, which is the forum for the leaders to discuss some of the fundamental issues. The region is united in the pursuit of a free pacific, free from any kind of influence that will disintegrate into divisions, there have been some attempts in that area but by and large, the Pacific is united in terms of the Pacific forum. Fiji's PM will provide that leadership and has demonstrated that, and he is a seasoned politician and worked with many of the leaders of the region and leaders beyond the pacific. We are very confident that the current Fijian govt, will further unite the region and provide a solid framework to address some of the fundamental challenges faced by Pacific island countries.

Zee News: But will you agree with the statement that China has been an aggressive force in the Indo pacific and pacific and country behind a lot of problems in your region?

Biman Prasad: Well, you can say that I don't know if the term aggressive is the right term. I think China is a big country and influential and has its ways of doing things but equally important are other influential countries. India is a global leader, you have Japan, and Australia. We believe that apart from India, Japan, and the US, --Australia has been at the forefront in terms of the Indo pacific strategy, in terms of the whole Idea-free Indo pacific region. 

Zee News: Your comments on Indo-Pacific, how do you see it as, and the role of Japan?

Biman Prasad: The Indo-Pacific strategy and gathering of the 4 very important countries- India, Japan, the US, and Australia. We don't see that as some kind of new grouping, but we see them as, a more determined, and more organised approach towards dealing with some of the challenges facing the Indo-Pacific region. We believe that there has been a weakening of democracy around the world, within the Indo pacific region and the Pacific region. Part of the philosophy behind the Indo-Pacific strategy, which excites us, is that we have fought for democracy over the last several years. The government we have now is working towards strengthening democracy, not only in Fiji but beyond Fiji in the Pacific. 

Zee News: How does Fiji see the Quad? Countries are saying Quad is Asian Nato, will you agree with it?

Biman Prasad: I don't think Fiji sees it that way, I don't see it that way from an economic point of view. As an economic strategy, it's a very good grouping, these are our major partners. What they do in terms of crisis, trade, and tourism--Australia is our largest source market for tourism, our largest contributor to budget support, and the role played during covid, these are exemplary examples of the relationship that we built over so many years with these countries including the US."