Has a Solomon Islands Prime Minister met Prime Minister Modi?

Yes. On 22 May 2023, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare led a delegation to the 3rd FIPIC Summit in Port Moresby, during which he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India and Solomon Islands: relations and milestones

Q: When did India and Solomon Islands establish diplomatic relations?

According to the MEA brief of July 2026, diplomatic relations between India and the Solomon Islands were established in May 1987.

This article outlines the diplomatic relationship between India and Solomon Islands: the establishment of relations, meetings between leaders and ministers, engagement through the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) and the Voice of Global South Summits, and visits by Solomon Islands delegations to conferences in India. It is based on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief of July 2026, which gives its information as on 25 July 2026.

Establishment of relations

Diplomatic relations between India and the Solomon Islands (SI) were established in May 1987. According to the MEA brief of July 2026, the two countries enjoy warm and friendly relations, which the brief describes as anchored in shared values and cooperation under the framework of South-South cooperation.

Meetings between leaders

August 2015: a five-member delegation led by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs of the Solomon Islands, Hon. Douglas Ete, participated in the 2nd Summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC), held in Jaipur.
24 September 2019: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi hosted a meeting of India-Pacific Islands Developing States (PSIDS) Leaders, including the Solomon Islands, in New York, on the sidelines of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
22 May 2023: Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare led a delegation to the 3rd Summit of FIPIC, held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, during which he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Foreign Ministers

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar met Mr. Jeremiah Manele, then Foreign Minister of the Solomon Islands (now Prime Minister), on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Kigali on 25 June 2022.

On 7 March 2023, Minister of State Shri Rajkumar Ranjan Singh met Mr. Manele on the sidelines of the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) in Doha. Mr. Manele confirmed the Solomon Islands' participation in the 3rd Summit of FIPIC (FIPIC-III). He also requested India's support for funding of the Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands.

Foreign Minister Hon. Peter Shanel Agovaka attended the FIPIC Foreign Ministers' Meeting hosted by EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar in New York on 24 September 2025, on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

First ministerial visit from India

Shri Piyush Goyal, then Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy, and Mines, visited Honiara in October 2016. The brief records this as the first-ever ministerial visit from India to the Solomon Islands.

During the visit, he called on Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and met the Minister for Power and Mines. India offered support in energy-efficient LED lighting and renewable energy, including solar lighting solutions. The Minister also highlighted avenues for India's assistance to the Solomon Islands in sectors such as IT skill development, healthcare and capacity building.

Voice of Global South Summits

Solomon Islands ministers and officials have taken part in the Voice of Global South Summits (VOGSS):

13 January 2023: Hon. Lanelle Tanangada, Minister for Education, participated in the Education Ministers' Session of the 1st VOGSS.
17 November 2023: Mr. Selwyn Takana, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Treasury, attended the Finance Ministers' Session of the 2nd Voice of the Global South Summit and spoke on connectivity, renewable energy, climate change and financing.
17 August 2024: Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade Peter Shanel Agovaka and Minister for Environment Hon. Trevor Hedley participated in VOGSS 3.0 and delivered virtual remarks during their respective sessions.

Delegations to conferences in India

February 2016: Mr. Joseph Atkin Tada, Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET), participated in the Distinguished Visitors Programme (DVP) organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) for 14 Pacific Island Countries.
27-28 Nov 2023: Dr. Paul Mae, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs, and Mr. George Gray, Public Solicitor of the Solomon Islands, attended the 1st Regional Conference on Access to Legal Aid in New Delhi.
14 to 18 January 2026: a three-member delegation of Mr. Patteson John Oti, Speaker of the National Parliament of the Solomon Islands, Mr. Jefferson Osborne Hallu, Clerk to the National Parliament, and Mr. Wilson Orisi, Director of Committees, visited India to participate in the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in New Delhi.