Fiji

Why in the News?

1. Prime Minister of Fiji Sitiveni Rabuka visited India (Aug 2025).
2. India announced training, equipment, and capacity building support to upgrade Fiji’s maritime security.
3. Both countries reaffirmed commitment to a free, open, inclusive, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
4. Key outcomes:
   1. Cooperation in UN peacekeeping, military medicine, White Shipping Information Exchange, and cybersecurity.
   2. Signing of 7 MoUs, including a super-specialty hospital in Fiji and a migration & mobility pact.
   3. Two ambulances gifted to Fijian military forces; India to open a Defence Wing in Suva.
   4. Planned Indian naval ship port call to Fiji to enhance maritime interoperability.
5. Fiji had earlier opposed China’s reported plan for a naval base in the Pacific Islands.

About Fiji

1. Fiji is a sovereign island country located in Melanesia, Oceania, officially called the Republic of Fiji.
2. It is strategically significant in the South Pacific and is rich in natural resources.
3. Location:
   1. Situated in the South Pacific Ocean, about 2,000 km northeast of New Zealand.
   2. Bordered by the Koro Sea and forms part of Oceania’s wider Pacific archipelago.
4. Capital: Suva, located on the island of Viti Levu.
5. Key Features:
   1. Archipelago: Over 330 islands and 500 islets, with around 110 islands permanently inhabited.
   2. Major Islands: Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, together hosting nearly 87% of Fiji’s population.
   3. Geography: Volcanic in origin, with active geothermal regions on Vanua Levu and Taveuni.
   4. Demography: Population of mixed Austronesian and Melanesian heritage, with notable Polynesian influence.
   5. Currency: Fijian Dollar (FJD).

India–Fiji Relations

1. Diplomatic relations were established in 1970, marking the beginning of a strong partnership.
2. India has a High Commission in Suva, while Fiji maintains a High Commission in New Delhi, ensuring continuous engagement.
3. Fiji plays an important role in Pacific geopolitics, and India leverages its Act East Policy and outreach to the Pacific Islands Forum to deepen ties.
4. Areas of Cooperation:
   1. Defence & Security: Defence Cooperation MoU (2017), maritime security, capacity building.
   2. Trade & Economy: Bilateral trade reached USD 8.012 million (2022–23).
      1. India’s exports to Fiji: Pharmaceuticals, machinery, textiles, plastics, vehicles.
      2. Fiji’s exports to India: Wood, mineral water, and small volumes of precious stones.
   3. Space & Energy: MoU on space cooperation (2017) and cooperation in nuclear energy, oil, and gas.
   4. Education & Culture: Through ITEC, ICCR scholarships, and an IT Centre of Excellence, India supports student exchange, research, and innovation.
   5. Health: Agreement to build a super-specialty hospital in Fiji.
5. Key Agreements Signed:
   1. Trade Agreement (1991)
   2. Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA, 2014)
   3. MoU on Defence Cooperation (2017)
   4. MoU on Space Cooperation (2017)

Sahel Region

Why in the News?

1. The S. under President Donald Trump has reset ties with West Africa’s military regimes (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger) on a “trade, not aid” basis.
2. Washington offered counter-jihadist support in exchange for access to critical minerals like lithium, gold, and uranium.
3. This marks a shift from the Biden era, when development and military aid were suspended after coups (2020–23).
4. The move is part of U.S. efforts to counter Russia and China’s growing influence in the region.
5. Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger welcome U.S. investment despite previously pivoting toward Russia’s Wagner/Africa Corps mercenaries.
6. The Sahel remains strategically vital due to:
   1. Mali: Major producer of gold & lithium.
   2. Burkina Faso: Rich in gold reserves.
   3. Niger: Among top global exporters of uranium.

About Sahel Region

1. The Sahel is a semi-arid zone located in western and north-central Africa.
2. It forms a 5,000 km-long belt, extending from Africa’s Atlantic coast to the Red Sea.
3. Geographically, it acts as a transition zone between:
   1. The arid Sahara Desert to the north, and
   2. The humid savannas to the south.
4. Countries Covered:
   1. Parts of Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, and Eritrea fall within the Sahel.
5. Vegetation:
   1. Characterised as a semi-arid steppe (dry grassland).
   2. Dominated by savanna-type vegetation with sparse cover.
   3. Features include short grasses, thorny shrubs, and scattered acacia and baobab trees.
6. Socio-Political & Environmental Context:
   1. Since independence in the 1960s, Sahel nations have faced challenges of weak governance, economic decline, violent extremism, and climate change impacts.
   2. The region is also a major transit corridor for migrants moving from sub-Saharan Africa towards the Mediterranean and Europe.