Rajnath Singh holds talks with defence ministers of Fiji and South Sudan in Bengaluru ahead of Aero India 2025
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Fiji's Defence Minister Pio Tikoduadua and South Sudan's Defence Minister Lt Gen Chol Thon Balok in Bengaluru on 9 February 2025, ahead of Aero India 2025.
Summary
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held bilateral meetings in Bengaluru on 9 February 2025, ahead of Aero India 2025, with Fiji's Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs Pio Tikoduadua, on his maiden visit to India, and South Sudan's Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs Lt Gen Chol Thon Balok. India and Fiji agreed to institutionalise a Joint Working Group on Defence Cooperation, as envisaged in their 2017 MoU on Defence Cooperation, and to boost maritime domain awareness, EEZ protection, naval capacity building and training for UN peacekeepers. With South Sudan, both sides agreed to work towards a defence cooperation MoU; the South Sudanese side acknowledged India's role in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
Key facts
- Date / place
- 9 February 2025, Bengaluru (ahead of Aero India 2025)
- Fiji
- Defence Minister Pio Tikoduadua, maiden India visit
- India–Fiji
- Joint Working Group on Defence Cooperation to be institutionalised (2017 MoU)
- Fiji focus areas
- Maritime domain awareness, EEZ protection, naval capacity building, UN peacekeeping training
- South Sudan
- Defence Minister Lt Gen Chol Thon Balok; work towards a defence MoU
- UN link
- India's role in UNMISS acknowledged
Practice MCQs 3 questions
Which Fijian minister, on his maiden visit to India, held bilateral talks with Rajnath Singh in Bengaluru on 9 February 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — Pio Tikoduadua
Rajnath Singh welcomed Fiji's Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs Pio Tikoduadua on his maiden visit to India.
India and Fiji agreed in February 2025 to institutionalise a Joint Working Group on Defence Cooperation, as envisaged in their MoU on Defence Cooperation signed in which year?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — 2017
Both sides agreed to institutionalise the India–Fiji Joint Working Group on Defence Cooperation, as envisaged in the MoU on Defence Cooperation signed in 2017.
During his meeting with Rajnath Singh on 9 February 2025, South Sudan's Defence Minister acknowledged India's efforts in which UN mission?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — UNMISS
The South Sudanese side acknowledged India's efforts in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).