PM Narendra Modi being greeted by his Fijian counterpart Frank Bainimarama.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached Fiji for a day-long visit on the last leg of his three-nation tour in the early hours of Wednesday. He would hold bilateral talks with his counterpart Frank Bainimarama, address the Fijian Parliament and meet the leaders and representatives of 12 Pacific Island nations.
On reaching Suva, the Prime Minister Instagrammed a photo, saying "Bula from Fiji! On the shores of the Pacific Ocean, among wonderful people." Bula, pronounced "boo-lah", literally means "life", but it is used a greeting, wishing people good health.
PM Modi's visit to the Pacific island nation would be the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 33 years. Indira Gandhi visited there in 1981.
His visit comes days ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's, who is to reach Suva on Saturday.
Before leaving India, the Prime Minister said it would be his privilege to visit Fiji soon after the return of democracy there in September.
"We also owe them a debt of gratitude for hosting our scientists on the island in support of our Mars Mission. I am excited about visiting Fiji as also with the opportunity I will have of meeting leaders and representatives of 12 Pacific Island nations," he had said.
Of Fiji's 849 million population, 37 per cent are of Indian origin. Many Indians had reached Fiji as indentured labour in the 19th Century. The two countries have 135 years of historical and friendly relations and a formal diplomatic relation was established in 1970.
On Tuesday, Mr Bainimarama said the visits by PM Modi and President Jinping were the symbols of Fiji's new status in the global community.
"There's undoubtedly a strategic component to these visits - India and China, as emerging global powers, wanting to have more of a presence in the Pacific. But they are also coming because they regard Fiji as important," he said. "Prime Minister Modi recognises the great historical link and wants to help us develop our nation in a range of ways which we will discuss."
The Prime Minister, who earlier was in Myanmar to attend the East Asia and the ASEAN summits and attended the G20 summit in Brisbane during a hectic tour of Australia, will return to India later on Thursday.