India-Tuvalu Bilateral Relations

Background

Bilateral relations between India and Tuvalu have grown steadily since the reopening of the High Commission of India, Suva, in 1999. As a historical first Ministerial visit from India to Tuvalu, Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Hon’ble Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare visited Tuvalu on 27-29 May 2018 and had interactions with all the important dignitaries of the country, including the Prime Minister and the Governor General of Tuvalu.

High-Level Exchanges

FIPIC: The Forum for India-Pacific Island Countries was inaugurated on 19 November 2014 at Suva. Hon’ble Prime Minister of India also hosted the First Summit of the Forum in Suva (Fiji) during his historic visit to Fiji on 19 November 2014. The Forum saw participation of 14 Pacific Island Countries. Tuvalu delegation was led by the Governor-General Sir Italeli Iakoba, attended the Summit.

FIPIC-II: As a follow-up of the historic first FIPIC Summit in 2014, India organized the second FIPIC at Jaipur on 21 August 2015, which was hosted by Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Building upon the success of the first FIPIC, India announced major initiatives to boost cooperation with the 14 Pacific Island countries. Tuvalu delegation led by former Prime Minister Hon. Enele Sosene Sopoaga, attended the Forum.

FIPIC-III: 3rd FIPIC Summit was organized in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG) on 22 May 2023, and was hosted by Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi and PNG’s Prime Minister, Hon. James Marape. Tuvalun delegation led by Hon. Kausea Natano, Prime Minister of Tuvalu, attended the Summit.

India - PIC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting: On 24 September, 2025 India hosted the India - PIC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the sidelines of the High Level Week (HLW) of 80th UNGA in New York. Delegation headed Minister for Foreign Affairs of Tuvalu Paulson Panapa attended the event.

Interaction with PSIDS at New York: On 24 September 2019, on the sidelines of the UNGA, Prime Minister of India Hon. Narendra Modi held an interaction, first of its kind, with the leaders of the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS).

India-Pacific Islands Sustainable Development Conference (IPISDC): Government of India organized the India-Pacific Islands Sustainable Development Conference (IPISDC) at Suva, Fiji on 25-26 May 2017. Minister of State for External Affairs Gen. (Dr.) V.K.Singh (Retd.) hosted the event. Hon. Maatia Toafa, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and Economic Development, led the Tuvalu delegation to the Conference.

International Solar Alliance: Tuvalu is one of the Founding Members of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) – a joint initiative of the Governments of India and France to promote solar energy. Former Prime Minister Hon. Enele Sosene Sopoaga visited New Delhi to attend the Founding Conference of ISA on 11 March 2018.

01st Voice of Global South Summit (VOGSS): On 12 January 2023, the Tuvaluan Minister for Finance and Climate Change, Seve Paeniu, represented the country in the Environment Ministers’ Session at VoSS held virtually.

03rd Voice of Global South Summit (VOGSS): On 17 August 2024, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Labour & Trade, Government of Tuvalu participated in 1st Session of Foreign Minister’s Session at VOGSS3 virtually.

Important Visits/Exchanges:

Rt. Hon. Sir Kamuta Latasi, Speaker of Parliament, Tuvalu, visited India to attend 20th Conference of Commonwealth Speakers in New Delhi from 4-8 January, 2010.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Taukelina Finikaso visited India in August 2013 for the commissioning of the new Tuvalu Honorary Consulate office in New Delhi.
Tuvalu delegation, led by Hon. Fauoa Maani, Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, visited India in connection with the Second High Level Meeting (HLM) on South-South Cooperation for Child Rights in Asia and the Pacific, held in New Delhi on 23-25 October 2013.
Hon. Samuela Penitala Teo, Special Envoy for Disaster, attended the First Asian Ministerial Disaster Risk Reduction Conference, in New Delhi from 2 to 5 November 2016.
His Excellency Sir Iakoba T Italeli, Governor General attended 17th International Conference of Chief Justice, held in Lucknow from 9-15 November 2016.
Mr. Avafoa Irata, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Energy and Tourism attended the Second Assembly of the International Solar Alliance in New Delhi on 31 October 2019.
Hon. Ashwani Kumar Choubey, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare visited Tuvalu on 27-29 May 2018.
Hon. Mr. Isaia Vaipuna Taape, Minister for Health, Social Welfare and Gender Affairs, along with Permanent Secretary and Deputy Secretary visited New Delhi on 29 May 2022. The delegation was invited by the Fortis Hospitals Limited, Gurugram, to visit their facility and meet with senior management on their treatment and services offered to patients from Tuvalu. A meeting with our Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya was also arranged during his visit.
Tuvalu’s Advisor to the Prime Minister and Special Envoy for the Commonwealth and Oceans and Climate Change, Ambassador Shivshankar Nair visited India from 11 to 13 September 2022. During the visit Ambassador Nair met with high level officials of Ministry of External Affairs.
Hon. Kitiona Tausi, Minister for Trade and Fisheries, Government of Tuvalu, attended the 6th Assembly of the ISA in New Delhi from 28 Oct-03 Nov 2023.
Tuvalu Minister for Home Affairs, Climate Change, and Environment Hon. Maina Vakafua Talia attended the High-level 12th Regional 3R and Circular Economy Forum in Asia and the Pacific held from 3-5 March, 2025, India. He also delivered the Tuvalu National Statement at the event.
Tuvalu’s Minister for Home Affairs, Climate Change, and Environment Hon. Maina Vakafua Talia met with Speaker of Lok Sabha, Hon. Om Birla in Lisbon on 2 June 2025.
A 03-member Parliamentary Delegations from Tuvalu participated in the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Commonwealth (CSPOC) From 16 - 19 January, 2026 which took place in India. From Tuvalu, the delegation was led by Sir Iakoba Taeia Italeli, Speaker of the Parliament of Tuvalu. Speaker of the Parliament Shri Om Birla held a bilateral meeting with Speaker Italeli on the sidelines of the 28th CSPOC.
Deputy Secretary Lauti Ako, Ministry of Transport, Energy, Communication and Innovation (MTECI) visited India in February 2026 on study tour on Digital Public Infrastructure in Bangalore, India along with delegation of other Pacific countries. They later participated in the AI Impact Summit in Delhi.
The Minister for Health & Social Welfare, Tuvalu Hon. Tuafafa Latasi, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary and the Director of Health, visited India to inspect hospitals for Overseas Medical Referral (OMR) from 08 - 12 March 2026.

Development Partnership Assistance

Government of India provides annual grants for community development projects in Tuvalu. In addition, 6 training slots are offered to Tuvalu under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme of the Government of India. Diplomats are also offered training at the Foreign Service Institute of India. In 2019, India assisted Tuvalu with US$1.9 million as contribution towards construction of Dr. Sir Tomasi Puapua Convention Centre for hosting the 50th Pacific Islands Forum Summit in Tuvalu in August 2019.
On 02 December, 2025, High Commissioner handed over 05 brush-cutters to Government of Tuvalu and also signed the Quick Impact Project (QIP) MoU on Preserving Tuvalu Cultural Heritage Sites with Permanent Secretary for the Tuvalu Ministry of Home Affairs, Climate Change & Environment.

Cultural Relations

Culture: ‘Taka Dimi Ta’, an ICCR-sponsored Bollywood dance group did three performances in Tuvalu in August 2017 including at Prime Minister’s residence. ICCR-sponsored ‘Centre-Stage’, a 14-member Bollywood Dance Group led by Mr. Rishi Sharma performed on 3-5 February 2018 during the ‘Namaste Pacifika’ Festival of India.
IDY in Tuvalu: Since its inaugural event in 2015 the International Day of Yoga is celebrated with great enthusiasm in Tuvalu with participation from high dignitaries. This year also, on 19 June 2026, High Commission of India in Suva celebrated International Day of Yoga 2026 in Funafuti. The event was well attended by yoga enthusiasts.

*****

Bilateral Relations