India will provide 20 sea ambulances to Pacific island nations by March 2027, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced, highlighting India’s expanding development partnership with the region.
Jaishankar made the announcement during a meeting with Pacific foreign ministers on the sidelines of the United Nations engagements in New York.
The discussions focused on India’s ongoing development projects and cooperation with Pacific countries.
Pleased to chair the India-FIPIC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting today in New York #UNGA81. Underlined the following:
✅ Our approach to the Pacific has consistently been demand-driven, development-oriented and people-centric.
✅ India fully respects and supports the priorities… pic.twitter.com/hSFhG3gaKj
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 23, 2026
Healthcare remains a key area of this partnership. India is currently building a 100-bed super-specialty hospital in Fiji, which is expected to benefit not only the island nation but also people from other Pacific countries.
The facility aims to bring advanced medical treatment closer to patients, reducing the need to travel overseas for specialised healthcare services.
Alongside the hospital project, the planned deployment of sea ambulances is intended to address the geographical challenges faced by Pacific island nations. With many countries consisting of widely scattered islands, reaching emergency medical facilities can be difficult for remote communities.
The ambulances are expected to support emergency transportation and medical evacuations, particularly for people living far from major healthcare centres.
The initiative forms part of India’s broader efforts to strengthen healthcare access and development cooperation across the Pacific region.
