New Delhi, June 13 (IANS) India and Papua New Guinea (PNG) reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations – including development partnership, political engagement, economic cooperation and cultural ties – during the second round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) held in a virtual mode.

During the consultations, both sides expressed satisfaction with the positive trajectory of the relationship and agreed to further strengthen ongoing collaboration across sectors.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Indian delegation was led by Vishwesh Negi, Joint Secretary (Oceania) at the MEA and Elias Wohengu, Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea headed the PNG side.

“During the consultations, the two sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations, including development partnership, political engagement, economic cooperation and cultural ties. They also had discussion on co-operation in Multilateral fora, Indo Pacific and exchanged views on regional and global developments of mutual interest,” the MEA stated.

The first FOC was held in Port Moresby in 2022 and it was agreed that the next round will be held in Port Moresby at a mutually convenient date.

Last September, Union Minister of State for External Affairs (MoS) Pabitra Margherita was on an official visit to Papua New Guinea to represent Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the commemorative events marking the country’s 50th anniversary of Independence.

During the visit, he called on Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape and conveyed greetings of PM Modi and the people of India on the occasion of the country’s 50th anniversary of independence.

Margherita expressed both nations’ commitment to deepening bilateral and people-to-people ties.

“Honoured to call on Hon‘ble James Marape, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea. Conveyed warm greetings from PM Shri Narendra Modi ji and the people of India 🇮🇳 on the occasion of PNG. At 50. Both countries remain committed to deepening bilateral and people-to-people ties,” MoS Margherita had posted on X.

President Droupadi Murmu had also sent a letter to Papua New Guinea’s Governor-General Sir Bob Bofeng Dadae and conveyed warm greetings of the people and the Government of India to the people of Papua New Guinea on the occasion of their 50th anniversary of Independence.

MoS Margherita’s visit followed the momentum created by PM Modi’s landmark visit to Papua New Guinea in 2023, where both nations committed to deepening bilateral relations, expanding development partnerships and enhancing defence cooperation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had travelled to Port Moresby to host the FIPIC III Summit jointly with his Papua New Guinea counterpart James Marape. Launched in 2014, FIPIC involves India and 14 Pacific Island Countries (PICs), namely, the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

–IANS

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