5 active areas of cooperation, as of July 2026. Click any card for the full brief.
01 DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVE
FIPIC and Pacific Multilateralism India launched the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) in 2014 to institutionalise engagement with 14 Pacific Island states including Vanuatu. The initiative reflects India's Act East and Indo-Pacific strategies, recognising the Pacific as a strategically significant sub-region.
Vanuatu participates in FIPIC summits and associated working groups on development cooperation, trade facilitation, and people-to-people ties. The second FIPIC summit in Jaipur (2015) and the third in Papua New Guinea (2023) saw India announce expanded assistance packages including solar energy installations, capacity building scholarships, and telemedicine connectivity.
India views Pacific Island states as important partners in multilateral forums such as the UN General Assembly, where their collective votes carry weight on issues including UNSC reform, climate finance, and ocean governance. Vanuatu's support for India's permanent UNSC membership bid is a recurring diplomatic objective.
FIPIC Diplomacy
Read brief → 02 CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT GROWING
Climate Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction Vanuatu is among the world's most climate-vulnerable nations, regularly ranking at or near the top of the World Risk Index. The archipelago faces existential threats from cyclones, sea level rise, and ocean acidification. India, as a major developing country seeking to lead climate diplomacy in the Global South, has aligned with Vanuatu on climate finance demands at COP negotiations.
India's International Solar Alliance (ISA), of which Vanuatu is a member, supports solar electrification in island communities reducing dependence on diesel imports. India has provided solar micro-grid systems and technical assistance through the ISA framework, contributing to Vanuatu's target of 100% renewable electricity by 2030.
Both countries have supported stronger loss-and-damage mechanisms at UNFCCC negotiations. Vanuatu led the landmark International Court of Justice advisory opinion request on climate change obligations in 2023, a position India broadly supports, reinforcing alignment on climate justice narratives in multilateral settings.
03 DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION ACTIVE
Lines of Credit, ITEC and Capacity Building India's development partnership with Vanuatu is channelled through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme, which provides scholarships and training slots for ni-Vanuatu officials in areas including public administration, agriculture, IT, and health. Around 20–30 ITEC slots are allocated to Vanuatu annually.
India has extended development assistance for infrastructure and humanitarian relief, particularly following Cyclone Pam (2015) and Cyclone Harold (2020), two of the most destructive storms in Pacific history. India dispatched relief supplies and pledged reconstruction assistance demonstrating humanitarian solidarity.
The Indian government has also supported hospital equipment provision, the establishment of a Jan Aushadhi generic medicines pilot, and telemedicine connectivity through e-ITEC platforms connecting Vanuatu health workers with Indian medical institutions, building long-term health sector capacity.
ITEC Humanitarian
Read brief → 04 STRATEGIC AFFAIRS GROWING
Pacific Geopolitics and China Factor The Pacific has become a significant theatre of geopolitical competition, primarily between China and traditional partners Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Vanuatu has navigated complex relationships with Beijing, including Chinese financing for the Luganville wharf in Santo—a deep-water facility that raised strategic concerns in Canberra and Washington.
India monitors Pacific geopolitics through its Indo-Pacific strategy lens. While India does not explicitly frame its Pacific engagement as counter-China, FIPIC deepening and expanded development cooperation serve to offer Pacific Island nations diversified partnership options. Vanuatu's geographic position astride key shipping lanes adds to its strategic relevance.
India's engagement complements that of Quad partners Australia and the United States in seeking to maintain a rules-based order in the Pacific. India participates in Quad working groups on infrastructure financing, maritime domain awareness, and climate, areas directly relevant to Vanuatu's development and security needs.
Strategic Indo-Pacific
Read brief → 05 BLUE ECONOMY PILOT
Ocean Economy and Fisheries Cooperation Vanuatu's exclusive economic zone covers approximately 680,000 square kilometres of the South Pacific, rich in tuna and other marine resources. India and Vanuatu have explored cooperation under the blue economy framework, including fisheries management, maritime capacity building, and combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
India's deep-sea fishing and aquaculture technology capabilities offer potential for cooperation in sustainable fisheries development. Discussions have touched on joint research vessels, fish processing investment, and cold chain infrastructure that would add value to Vanuatu's marine exports.
Maritime domain awareness is a growing area of cooperation under FIPIC, with India's coast guard and navy increasingly engaged with Pacific Island states on information sharing, patrol support, and training. Vanuatu's participation in Indian Ocean and Pacific maritime exercises builds interoperability and strengthens the bilateral relationship.
Blue Economy Fisheries
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