India gets 'strategic partner' status in Pacific Islands Forum: Jaishankar

India has been placed on the "strategic partner stream" in the Pacific Islands Forum, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, describing it as a "positive development" that will contribute to the deepening of Delhi's cooperation with the region.

Jaishankar co-chaired the India-FIPIC (Forum for India-Pacific Islands cooperation) Foreign Ministers' meeting Wednesday at the Permanent Mission of India to the UN on the margins of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly.

At the meeting, Jaishankar said he was glad to receive a letter from Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Baron Waqa informing him that "India has been placed on the Strategic Partner Stream in the PIF.

This is a positive development, and I'm sure that it would contribute to the further deepening of our cooperation." Founded in 1971, the Pacific Islands Forum comprises 18 members: Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Naoero, New Caledonia, New