India (Commonwealth) _The advantages of having a free and open Indo-Pacific for the Pacific island countries was emphasized by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 22 attending the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC).

He also emphasized that the Quad (The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue), which consists of India, Japan, Australia, and the United States, is already working in this regard.

Speaking at the FIPIC summit, Mr. Modi also underlined the value of multilateralism and the importance of upholding the sovereignty and integrity of all nations.

The summit took place at a time when China is working to increase its diplomatic and military might in the area.

“Like you, we believe in multilateralism; support a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific; and respect the sovereignty and integrity of all countries,” Mr. Modi said.

He claimed that it is already being shaped by the Quad. It will share knowledge and experiences in the fields of digital technology, space technology, food security or health security, environmental protection, or climate change. ‘All the way, we’re with you, he said.

Additionally, Mr. Modi was of the view that the U.N. Security Council should prioritize hearing from the global south.

To make this happen, international institutions, which should be the shared priority need to be reformed,” he further emphasized declared.

The summit was co-chaired by Indian Premier Modi and his counterpart from Papua New Guinea.

The 14 Pacific Island Countries (PICs) are a part of New Delhi’s Act East Policy, which includes India.

India’s relationship and interaction with PICs are mostly facilitated through the South-South Cooperation program’s development aid to shape primitive capacity-building and community development initiatives.

The FIPIC is a commendable effort that was formed under the facilities of the Act East Policy for the PICs. On November 19, 2014. Prime Minister Modi hosted the inaugural FIPIC summit while he was in Fiji.

The second FIPIC summit was attended by all 14 PICs on August 21 in Jaipur.

At that summit, India revealed a wide range of efforts to help PICs alleviate obstacles and understand their aspirations for the welfare and development of the population.