Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri Pabitra Margherita, represented India at the grand celebrations of Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence Day at Independence Hill, Port Moresby, today. Prior to the ceremony, MoS Margherita met Prime Minister James Marape, conveying warm greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India. The leaders discussed strategies to strengthen bilateral trade relations, reflecting the growing partnership between India and Papua New Guinea.
During his visit, Minister Margherita engaged with leading business figures, including key Indian entrepreneurs in the textile sector, exploring avenues to deepen trade and economic cooperation. Sharing his experiences on social media platform ‘X’, he highlighted productive discussions with PNG’s business community and a heartwarming interaction with the Indian diaspora of over 4,000 members, who play a significant role in cultural and economic bridging between the two nations.
In Guwahati, local businesses are closely monitoring opportunities emerging from increased trade with Pacific Island countries. Textile exporters in Assam see potential in leveraging PNG’s growing market demand, while trade analysts believe that sustained engagement could open avenues for Guwahati-based SMEs to expand their footprint internationally. The visit follows India’s proactive engagement with Pacific Island Countries post the third Forum for India–Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) Summit in May 2023, underscoring India’s strengthened role as a voice of the Global South.