India to play role of Visvaguru to world, says Modi in Fiji

Suva: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India would play the role of 'Visvaguru' or teacher to the world and would use the strengths of its democracy and young population to benefit the mankind.

Modi said the coming age would be the age of knowledge, and India would once again perform the role of "Visvaguru". In his remarks during an interaction with civil society at Fiji Technical University in Suva today, the Prime Minister who was here on a day's visit, said India has a responsibility towards the world at large.

Modi said it was essential to keep adding to the knowledge base, and to keep up the pace of new discoveries and inventions. He said our ancient sages had spoken of India's global responsibility, and the coming "Gyan Yug" would see India play a pivotal role, using the strengths of its democracy and demographic dividend.

He said the government was giving priority to skill development so that these strengths could be leveraged for the benefit of the whole world. He also talked about ending the digital divide, saying we have to prepare for the future to help the world. Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Fiji since Indira Gandhi traveled there in 1981. India's Pacific Ocean outreach gained traction with the announcement of a slew of Lines of Credit and development assistance totalling USD 80 million for Fiji and a visa on arrival for all the 14 island countries in the region during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit here.

Modi, who held talks with his Fijian counterpart Frank Bainimirama, also announced a USD one million Special Adaptation Fund for the Pacific nations and a proposal to develop Pan Pacific Islands Project for tele-medicine and tele-education.

His trip is the first by an Indian premier to Fiji in 33 years after Indira Gandhi in 1981.Meanwhile, India and Fiji also agreed to expand their security and defence cooperation during Modi's day-long visit to Fiji, considered as hub in the Pacific Ocean region, as Suva rolled out the red carpet with billboards "Vula Modi (Welcome Modi) dotting various traffic intersections. Modi also utilised his visit to address a meeting of leaders of 12 Pacific Ocean countries, a move considered significant. He also addressed the Fijian National University, the first by a world leader.

3 MoU’s signed
India also inked three MoUs with Fiji, including on earmarking land for diplomatic mission buildings in each other's capitals. The first MoU was for training programmes for diplomats, signed between the Foreign Service Institute of India and the ministry of foreign affairs of Fiji.