India-Fiji relations are based on mutual respect and strong people to people ties, PM Modi said

The shared legacy of India-Fiji relations is based on the sense of service of humanity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday.

In a video message at the opening of the Shri Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital in Fiji, PM Modi India could fulfil its obligations during the pandemic based on these values.

India could provide medicines to 150 countries and about 100 million vaccines to about 100 countries, he pointed out. "Fiji has always been prioritized in such efforts," he noted.

Thanking the Prime Minister of Fiji and People of Fiji for the hospital, PM Modi said that the hospital was a symbol of the relationship between the two countries, another chapter in the shared journey of India and Fiji. The Children’s Heart Hospital was one of its kind not only in Fiji but in the entire South Pacific region, he added.

"For a region, where heart related diseases are major challenge, this hospital will be a way of giving new life to thousands of children,” the Indian Prime Minister observed.

He also expressed satisfaction that not only would the children get world-class treatment but all surgeries would be done free of cost. For this, he appreciated Sai Prem Foundation, Fiji, Government of Fiji and Shri Sathya Sai Sanjivini Children’s Heart Hospital of India.

Dwelling on the depth of the relationship between the two countries, PM Modi said, "Despite the vast ocean separating the two countries, our culture has kept us connected and our relations are based on mutual respect and strong people to people ties". He also acknowledged the privilege of India getting opportunities to contribute in the socio-economic development of Fiji.

During the video message, Prime Minister Modi greeted Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama of Fiji on his birthday and expressed the hope that under his leadership, the relationship between the two countries will continue to get stronger.