India, Kiribati Discuss Women’s Empowerment, Digitisation And Inclusive Growth In Tarawa

India and Kiribati held discussions on Friday covering women’s empowerment, inclusive growth, digitisation and ways to further strengthen bilateral cooperation, highlighting New Delhi’s expanding engagement with its Pacific Island partners. The discussions took place during a meeting between India’s High Commissioner to Kiribati, Suneet Mehta, and Kiribati’s Minister for Women, Youth, Sport and Social Affairs, Ruth Cross Kwansing, in Tarawa.

The Indian High Commission in Fiji noted that the meeting provided an opportunity for both sides to exchange views on areas directly linked to inclusive development and social empowerment. Women’s participation, digital transformation and broader economic growth were among the issues discussed, reflecting India’s efforts to build partnerships with Pacific Island countries across development sectors rather than limiting cooperation to traditional diplomatic areas.

Education and youth development also featured prominently in Mehta’s recent engagements in Kiribati. Earlier, he met Kiribati’s Minister of Education Ruateki Tekaiara in Tarawa and reaffirmed India’s commitment to cooperation in education, capacity building, scholarships and skills development. The engagement focused on strengthening people-to-people connections and creating greater opportunities for young people across the Pacific nation.

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Mehta also met Kiribati’s National Assembly Speaker Willie Tokataake, with both sides discussing shared priorities and parliamentary engagement in strengthening bilateral ties. He separately held talks with Minister for Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy Tekeeua Tarati on infrastructure, renewable energy and sustainable development. The discussions underlined the shared objective of supporting a more resilient and sustainable Pacific while expanding cooperation in areas relevant to Kiribati’s long-term development needs.

India’s partnership with Kiribati also includes healthcare support. During his visit, Mehta visited a dialysis centre in the country, which the Indian High Commission described as part of India’s wider commitment to the health and well-being of Pacific Island nations. The centre is linked to the 2023 Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation initiative announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to support the establishment of dialysis units across all 14 Pacific Island countries.

Healthcare cooperation was further discussed during Mehta’s meeting with Kiribati Health Minister Bootii Nauan. The talks covered the supply of affordable medicines, dialysis equipment and sea ambulances, along with capacity-building initiatives for the health sector. The series of engagements across women’s affairs, education, infrastructure, energy, parliamentary cooperation and healthcare reflects India’s broader approach to strengthening its partnership with Kiribati and supporting development priorities in the Blue Pacific.

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