India has strengthened its growing partnership with the Cook Islands, signing a new agreement to support science and technology education in the Pacific nation.
India’s High Commissioner to the Cook Islands, Neeta Bhushan, alongside the Cook Islands’ High Commissioner in Wellington, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to provide a US$50,000 grant for a four-month STEM and Robotics Programme in Rarotonga.
The initiative underscores India’s continued commitment to capacity-building, education and technical cooperation in the Pacific.
The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1998 and have since maintained warm and friendly ties. In 2021, concurrent accreditation for the Cook Islands was transferred to the Indian High Commission in Wellington, reflecting evolving diplomatic arrangements in the region.
Expanding cooperation in the Pacific
The Cook Islands is a key member of the Pacific Islands Forum, which promotes regional cooperation among Pacific nations. India holds official dialogue partner status within the forum, signalling its strategic engagement with Pacific Island countries.
Bilateral relations have seen a notable upswing in recent years. In 2024, Ms Bhushan visited the Cook Islands, where she met senior leaders including Foreign Minister Tingika Elikana, Associate Foreign Minister Tukaka Ama, Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Tepaeru Herrmann, and Sir Tom Marsters, the King’s Representative and Head of State.
During the visit, she also called on New Zealand’s High Commissioner to the Cook Islands, Tui Dewes, and engaged with members of the Indian community through an Open House and Consular Camp. She interacted with yoga scholars, foreign ministry officials and participants of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme.
Development projects and funding support
India’s development partnership with the Cook Islands spans multiple community-focused initiatives. Six community development projects are currently under way, supported by funding of approximately NZ$569,705 (around US$403,000). These projects include road safety improvements near schools and markets, upgrades to water infrastructure, installation of waste management systems and solar panels, renovation of community facilities, and support for sporting and sailing programmes. Two of the projects are nearing completion, with initial instalments already disbursed.
India has steadily increased its grant assistance to Pacific Island countries over the past two decades. Support was enhanced during the first Forum for India–Pacific Islands Cooperation summit in 2014, where annual grant-in-aid funding for Pacific nations was raised to US$200,000 with rollover provisions.
A flagship symbol of cooperation is the India–Cook Islands Centre of Excellence in Information Technology, established in 2018 at the Cook Islands campus of the University of the South Pacific. The centre provides IT training, scholarships and digital skills development, helping strengthen local capacity.
Training and capacity-building
India’s ITEC programme continues to play a central role in bilateral engagement. Ms Marianne Anak Miga, Deputy Director of Management at Sentosa Hospital under Malaysia’s Ministry of Health, recently shared her experience of attending the second session of the Mid-Career Training Programme at the National Centre for Good Governance in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, in August 2025.
Cook Islands leaders have reaffirmed the importance of their partnership with India during the country’s 60th anniversary celebrations.
“India has been a valued partner in our development journey,” Foreign Minister Elikana said.
“We appreciate the long-standing cooperation across areas such as education, technology and capacity-building, and we look forward to expanding our partnership into new and emerging sectors.”
As a founding member of FIPIC, India continues to engage Pacific nations through development cooperation, technical training and climate resilience initiatives, with both countries signalling interest in deeper collaboration across disaster resilience, agriculture, trade, health and sustainable development.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
