Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has expressed support for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid the United States’ imposition of a steep 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, telling him, “Somebody is not very happy with you”.
Mr Rabuka made the comments during a public interaction following his keynote lecture titled ‘Ocean of Peace’ at Sapru House in New Delhi on Tuesday, hosted by the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA).
“I told Prime Minister Modi that someone is clearly unhappy with him. But as a global leader, he has the resilience to handle such pressures,” Mr Rabuka said, referring to the growing trade friction between India and the United States.
Commenting on his ‘Ocean of Peace’ vision, Mr Rabuka said, “A lot of big leaders are embracing this idea. Chinese President Xi Jinping has discussed it with me, and Prime Minister Modi echoed the same sentiment yesterday.”
He urged global leaders to adopt a family-like approach to regional issues. “When the smallest member of the family is uncomfortable, everyone should sit up and listen,” he said.
Referring to India’s current tensions with the U.S., Rabuka noted, “what happens out there affects us all, including the recent tariff decisions.”
Mr Rabuka called on the United Nations and regional forums to embrace the ‘Ocean of Peace’ concept.
“India is an important partner in this journey. Together, we can take this Pacific vision to the world,” he said.