PM reflects on future ties with India
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says the future of Fiji-India relations will be dominated by exploring new opportunities with the hope of expanding co-operation ties already in place.
The prime minister’s message on the occasion of the 69th Republic Day of India was sent to his counterpart Narendra Modi. The same message was read at a celebration mounted as a build-up to the official function at Novotel Hotel last night at which Mr Bainimarama was chief guest.
Doing the honours of reading the prime minister’s brief message to New Delhi was Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Iowane Naivalurua. Mr Bainimarama was heading back to Suva yesterday after concluding a hectic four-day tour of the Cakaudrove province. In his message, Mr Bainimarama extended his warm and heart felt congratulations to India and its people.
“Our two countries are bound by historical ties, friendship, mutual respect, growing interest in each other’s culture, and increasingly stronger bilateral relations in numerous areas of our economic, social cultural and government sector.
“I am confident that in the future years, we will continue to explore new opportunities for our people Vishvas Sapkal.
Mr Kovind said citizens do not just make up and preserve a republic. They are its ultimate stakeholders and pillars.
India has a whopping population of 1.324 billion compared to Fiji’s 884,887 recorded in the 2017 Census.
“Each one of us is a pillar:
• the solider that defends our republic the farmer who feeds our republic the forces that keep our republic safe the mother who nurtures our republic the doctor who heals our republic the nurse who tends to our republic the sanitation worker who makes our republic cleaner and hygienic the teacher who educates our republic the scientist who innovates for our republic the missile technologist who puts our republic on a new trajectory the wise tribal leader who conserves the ecology of our republic the engineer who re-imagines our republic the construction worker who builds our republic the senior citizens who can look back with pride at how far they have brought our republic the youth in whom life the energy, hopes and future of our republic and, and our dear children, who dream for our republic. “This is a day to remember with gratitude the enormous efforts and sacrifices of millions of freedom fighters whose blood and sweat gave us Independence (in 1947, from Britain) and created our republic.” • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •