New Delhi, India: In Papua New Guinea, the third summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) marked the arrival of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was welcomed with open arms.
When PM Modi first arrived in the Pacific Island country, the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, James Marape, welcomed him by caressing his feet in a show of respect.
Formal welcomes for leaders arriving after dusk are rarely organised in Papua New Guinea. Prime Minister Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the nation, was granted an exception because of his late arrival (after 10 p.m. local time).
I have arrived in Papua New Guinea; PM Modi tweeted in appreciation. PM James Marape’s presence at the airport to greet me is much appreciated. “This act is meaningful, and I will always value it. During my visit, I look forward to strengthening India’s ties with this great country”.
PM Marape caressed PM Modi’s feet, and then they gave each other another loving embrace. They then moved collectively in the direction of the other dignitaries who had gathered to greet Prime Minister Modi.
Papua New Guinea’s West New Britain Province Governor Sasindran Muthuvel, who was a member of the welcome committee for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reported that PM James Marape patted PM Modi’s feet out of the utmost respect.
Prime Minister Modi was given a lavish welcome, including a 19-gun salute, guard of honour, and formal pleasantries, as reported by the spokeswoman for the Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi, in addition to the exceptional gesture of PM Marape receiving him at the airport.
Papua New Guinea and India have strong bilateral relations. The first substantial shipment of COVID-19 vaccines from India to Papua New Guinea arrived in 2021, and it was crucial for dealing with the country’s healthcare crisis and the delays in its immunisation programme, which depended on supplies from the global COVAX vaccine-sharing programme.