<div>Exuding confidence about the upcoming summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC), Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the meet will strengthen India's bonds with the 14 resource-rich nations.</div><div> </div><div>"I welcome all the leaders and delegates who are coming to India for the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation," he tweeted ahead of the mega summit. </div><div> </div><div>"I am very optimistic about FIPIC Summit. Am sure it will strengthen India's bond with the Pacific island nations," he added.</div><div> </div><div>The August 21 summit will be held in Jaipur, and the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government has earmarked a series of projects through which it plans to deepen India's economic footprint in these islands. </div><div> </div><div>Leaders of the Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Nauru, Palau, Niue, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Micronesia and Fiji will attend the summit. These 14 nations, along with Australia and New Zealand, constitute a regional grouping — the Pacific Islands Forum — which other key powers, like the US and China, have been keen to join.</div><div> </div><div>Eleven of the 14 nations will be represented by heads of state or government, and the remaining three by foreign ministers. </div><div> </div><div>At the summit, India will seek to expand its footprint in the strategically-important South Pacific region by pushing for deeper engagement with these nations in a range of key areas including trade and investment.</div><div> </div><div>The aim is to chart a new course in relationship with the countries of Pacific region, where China has been trying to step up its influence.</div><div> </div><div>Modi will offer cooperation in agriculture and fisheries, training for small and medium-sized enterprises, hand-holding of educational institutions, and enhancing opportunities for government officials and diplomats from these countries to learn their craft in India.</div><div> </div><div>India also hopes to nudge these nations to allow Indian navy ships to dock in the western Pacific Ocean and enable New Delhi to build a unique satellite monitoring hub. </div><div> </div><div>Such a satellite monitoring centre would help India overcome a current blind spot whenever its satellites pass over the Pacific — a shortcoming that forces New Delhi to depend on Australia or the US, limiting strategic applications.</div><div> </div><div>According to media reports, these countries are crucial for two other reasons — climate change, where they are expected to side with India because they are most at risk from challenges of climate change; and the reorganisation of the United Nations, where 12 of the 14 have these voting rights. Of them, 11 support India's elevation as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.</div><div> </div><div>The sectors that India will look for deeper cooperation with the island nations include oil and natural gas, mining, IT, health care, fishing and marine research.</div>
