Papua New Guinea - India Business Council
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News, press releases and media coverage.

The latest updates from the Papua New Guinea - India Business Council, including official announcements, event coverage and sector reports.

Media Release/23 September 2026

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Signed Between PNG India Business Council Inc. (PNGIBC) and Space Industry Association of India (SIA-INDIA)

The PNG India Business Council Inc (PNGIBC) and the Space Industry Association of India (SIA-INDIA) have signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 23 September 2026, establishing a framework of cooperation to significantly grow space industry and allied sectors' collaborations, technological partnerships and investments between Papua New Guinea and India. Signed a week from the 51st Independence anniversary celebrations of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, the MOU aims towards developing, training and growing the space industry and allied sectors in PNG through targeted delegation visits, industry sector collaborations and partnerships - including education and healthcare services into remote locations, telecommunications services using LEO, MEO and GEO orbit satellites designed, built, owned, operated and managed by PNG private and public sector partnerships, inclusive fintech solutions, maritime domain shipping and fisheries, forestry, and mining and Oil & Gas geospatial requirements. Both organisations will bring together PNG and Indian industry stakeholders with timebound solutions enabling PNG to become a pioneer and leader in the space industry sector among the developing South Pacific island nations, in continuation of the strategic policy announcements during the Forum of India and Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) Summits. Signed by Mahadevan Shankar, President, on behalf of the Executive Committee and NIG Leaders of PNGIBC.

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Media Release/18 September 2026

PNG India Business Council Inc. (PNGIBC) Signs Historic Memorandum of Understanding with the Millennial India International Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture (MIICCIA)

The Executive Committee of the PNG India Business Council Inc (PNGIBC) is proud to announce the first Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Millennial India International Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture (MIICCIA) on 18 September 2026. Signed on the momentous occasion of the 51st Independence Anniversary of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, the MOU establishes a framework of cooperation to significantly grow trade and investment between Papua New Guinea and India - exchanging information on economic status, taxation, investment opportunities, trade policies and legislative changes, and committing both organisations to developing bilateral trade up to and beyond US$20 billion over the next decade through Agriculture, Education, Fisheries, Forestry, Financial Services, Healthcare, Legal, MSME, and Resources & LNG sectors.

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Media Release/14 August 2026

PNGIBC Media Release: 80th Indian Independence Day and the Road to US$20 Billion in Bilateral Trade

The PNG India Business Council Inc. Executive Committee and National Industry Group Convenors extend greetings to the Republic of India on its 80th Independence Day, and set out the Council's outlook on cultural synergies, the trading landscape, and the opportunity to grow bilateral trade from approximately US$600 million to at least US$20 billion over the next decade. The release includes statements from Convenors across Agriculture, Defence and Security, Financial Services, Legal Services, MSME, and Resources and LNG.

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Press Release/11 August 2026

Prime Minister James Marape Announces State Visit to India in 2027 at the Business Advantage PNG Investment Conference 2026

Speaking at the Business Advantage PNG Investment Conference 2026 in Brisbane, Prime Minister Hon. James Marape MP announced that he will undertake a State Visit to India in 2027. The announcement, delivered alongside his address on Papua New Guinea's economic and budget outlook for 1975-2025 and beyond, signals a significant strengthening of the bilateral relationship between Papua New Guinea and India and is expected to open new avenues for trade, investment and institutional cooperation between the two nations.

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Defence Engagement/16 September 2025

INS Kadmatt Leads the Fleet Review Marking Papua New Guinea's 50th Anniversary of Independence

INS Kadmatt led the fleet review held in Port Moresby as part of Papua New Guinea's 50th Anniversary of Independence celebrations. The engagement was attended by Rear Admiral Philip Polewara, Chief of the Defence Force, together with Commodore Peter Ilau, former Chief of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force, Captain Rohit Kottaju, Defence Advisor of India to Papua New Guinea, and Commander Kutuhal Limaye, Commanding Officer of INS Kadmatt, along with invited guests received on board the ship for the commemorative function.

Rear Admiral Philip Polewara with Indian Navy officers and the Defence Advisor of India on board INS Kadmatt
INS Kadmatt at anchor off Port Moresby
Fleet review vessels off Port Moresby harbour during the 50th Anniversary of Independence celebrations
Guests and officers on the flight deck of INS Kadmatt during the commemorative function
Bilateral Document/Published by the High Commission of India

India-Papua New Guinea Bilateral Brief, High Commission of India, Port Moresby

The official bilateral brief issued by the High Commission of India in Port Moresby records the full arc of the India-Papua New Guinea relationship: the opening of the High Commission in April 1996, the first-ever State Visit by President Shri Pranab Mukherjee in April 2016 and the four MoUs signed during it, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's co-hosting of the 3rd FIPIC Summit in May 2023 and the 12-step Pacific action plan announced there, the visit of Minister of State for External Affairs Shri Pabitra Margherita for Papua New Guinea's 50th Anniversary of Independence in September 2025, and the Foreign Office Consultations, development partnership, capacity building, trade and diaspora engagement that underpin the partnership.

View on the High Commission website
Bilateral Document/6 October 2023

India-Papua New Guinea Bilateral Brief, October 2023

The October 2023 edition of the official India-Papua New Guinea bilateral brief. It sets out the political relationship since the opening of India's High Commission in Port Moresby in April 1996, the First India-PNG Foreign Office Consultations of December 2022, and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's May 2023 visit to co-host the 3rd FIPIC Summit, including the 12-step Pacific action plan, the Regional IT and Cybersecurity hub agreed with the University of Papua New Guinea, the visa waiver agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders, and the conferral of the Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu. The brief also records delegation-level engagement, the US$100 million line of credit for the Bayer-Madang and Hoskins-Kimbe road projects, and cooperation in agriculture, health, education and information technology.

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More coverage

Additional news, press releases and bilateral documents, listed from most recent.

Announcement/24 September 2026

World Food Day 2026 Seminar: Better Food. Brighter Tomorrow. — 16 October 2026, Hilton Hotel, Port Moresby

The Papua New Guinea - India Business Council, the Department of Agriculture & Livestock (Papua New Guinea) and the Millennial India International Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture (MIICCIA) jointly invite participants to the World Food Day 2026 Seminar under the theme "Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future". The seminar will be held on Friday 16 October 2026 (World Food Day) from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM at the Hilton Hotel, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, under the banner "Better Food. Brighter Tomorrow. - Strengthening Partnerships for Sustainable, Inclusive and Resilient Agrifood Systems in Papua New Guinea". Key focus areas: sustainable agriculture, inclusive growth, partnerships for impact, innovation and value chains, and food security and nutrition. Target participants: government agencies, development partners, farmers and producer groups, agriculture equipment manufacturers and suppliers, MSME operators, private sector banks and institutions, agritech investors, academia and research, civil society and youth, and other business councils and chambers based in PNG. Local actions, global impact - good food, healthy people, stronger PNG. For further details, please reach out to us at admin@pngibc.org.

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Announcement/18 September 2026

Study in India Education Fair at the High Commission of India, Port Moresby: 22 & 23 September 2026

The PNG India Business Council Inc. is glad to share this exciting opportunity for students and educational institutions in Papua New Guinea. The Study in India Education Fair, supported by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, will be hosted at the High Commission of India, Port Moresby (Section 7, Lot 30, Lawes Road, Granville, NCD) on 22 and 23 September 2026, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Students, parents, teachers and counsellors are all welcome to come and explore world-class education opportunities in India. For further details, please contact the High Commission of India, Port Moresby, reach out to us at admin@pngibc.org, or visit www.studyinindia.gov.in.

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News/18 September 2026

PNG Can Sell Gold to India: PNGIBC President Mahadevan Shankar Writes in The National

Writing in The National, PNG India Business Council President Mahadevan Shankar identifies gold as a major untapped opportunity between Papua New Guinea and India. India imports between 700 and 800 metric tonnes of gold each year, yet Papua New Guinea - which produces around 75 metric tonnes annually - has no export pipeline to India, despite an offer from the chief executive of one of India's largest refineries to import PNG gold as far back as 2014. Shankar also points to India's 1.4 billion population, its BRICS membership and its rise toward the world's third-largest economy, the 2015 memorandum of understanding signed by India's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation to invest in the PNG LNG project that never progressed while ONGC now partners TotalEnergies in a US$25-30 billion Mozambique venture, and underutilised agricultural exports such as last year's 13 metric tonne turmeric shipment and PNG Robusta coffee routed indirectly through European brands. He argues that cooperation across trade, energy security, investment, medicine and sciences, education, tourism, culture and people-to-people exchanges can grow bilateral trade from US$600 million to US$20 billion within a decade - "it's not impossible".

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Announcement/16 September 2026

PNGIBC Marks the 51st Anniversary of Papua New Guinea's Independence

The PNG India Business Council Inc. extends its warmest wishes to the people of Papua New Guinea on the anniversary of Independence. Hepi Independens Dei long olgeta wantok - God i blesim kantri bilong yumi.

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News/15 September 2026

PNG-India Business Council Pushing for More Activities: Queries Raised at BPNG Economic Outlook Presentation

The National reports on queries raised by the PNG India Business Council at the Bank of Papua New Guinea's economic outlook presentation. Council President Mahadevan Shankar said the Council is asking the Bank of Papua New Guinea to allow transactions and trade-offs between businesses in the two countries, noting that trade between India and PNG will be the biggest opportunity for PNG in the 21st century as India - the world's fastest growing major economy - heads toward the third-largest GDP by 2030. The report sets out the Council's objectives: promoting bilateral trade, investment and strategic partnerships; establishing sector forums toward a comprehensive economic partnership agreement; growing two-way trade from around US$600 million (about K2.5 billion) to at least US$20 billion (about K86 billion) within ten years; working with provincial governments and Indian states on policy and legal alignment; promoting business-to-business partnerships; and attracting Indian investment into PNG. Shankar also highlighted financial inclusion as a shared priority, with 80 to 90 per cent of Papua New Guineans living in rural areas.

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News/7 August 2026

Skyroot Aerospace Achieves Historic Orbit on First Launch, Revolutionising Private Space Access

Skyroot Aerospace, a private Indian company, has made history by launching its first rocket vehicle and deploying its payload satellite into orbit on its first attempt. With an average scientist age of only 28 years and the entire project delivered in under US$5 million, Skyroot used fully indigenous technology and materials, including a carbon-fibre body and 3D-printed rocket engines. The achievement marks a dramatic shift in the economics of satellite launches worldwide.

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Press Release/14 July 2026

PNG Defence Force and Indian Navy Deepen Maritime Partnership at MILAN 2026

A senior representative of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force met with the Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy during MILAN 2026 and the International Fleet Review in Visakhapatnam. The exchange of mementos underscored the deepening maritime cooperation between Papua New Guinea and India.

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News/14 July 2026

PNG-India Business Council Launches to Target US$20 Billion Trade Boom

The newly established executive committee of the PNG India Business Council Inc. (PNGIBC) has officially launched the first legally registered industry platform dedicated to developing bilateral trade between Papua New Guinea and India.

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News/12 July 2026

PNG and Indian Navy Chiefs Mark Bilateral Defence Milestone at MILAN 2026

A senior Papua New Guinea Defence Force officer met with Indian Navy leadership in Visakhapatnam, exchanging the Chief of the Naval Staff plaque to mark a milestone in bilateral defence cooperation.

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Press Release/13 September 2025

Union Minister of State for External Affairs Represents India at Papua New Guinea's 50th Anniversary of Independence

At the invitation of the Government of Papua New Guinea, Shri Pabitra Margherita, Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles, visited Papua New Guinea on 16 September 2025 to represent Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at the commemorative events marking Papua New Guinea's 50th anniversary of Independence. The visit included bilateral meetings with the political leadership of Papua New Guinea and interactions with the Indian diaspora and the business community, continuing the engagement that followed the 3rd FIPIC Summit chaired by Prime Minister Modi in Port Moresby in May 2023.

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Press Release/4 August 2023

Indian Navy Hosts the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Onboard INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata at Port Moresby

During their port call to Port Moresby, INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata received Prime Minister Hon. James Marape MP, accompanied by Cabinet Members and senior government officials, hosted jointly by the Indian Navy and the High Commissioner of India, Shri Inbasekar Sudaramurthi. In his address, Prime Minister Marape welcomed the Indian naval ships to Papua New Guinea, acknowledged Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's visit of May 2023 and its contribution to strengthening India-PNG ties, and encouraged further visits by Indian naval vessels in support of deeper defence cooperation and people-to-people engagement. The port call reflects the Indian Navy's commitment to the SAGAR vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region.

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Press Release/22 May 2023

Prime Minister Modi's Visit to Papua New Guinea Boosts the India-Papua New Guinea Relationship

Department of Foreign Affairs coverage of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's maiden visit to Papua New Guinea. Welcomed by Prime Minister Hon. James Marape MP at the APEC Terminal with a ceremonial guard and 19-gun salute, Prime Minister Modi held bilateral talks at APEC House and paid a courtesy call on Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae. Discussions covered trade and investment, health, capacity building and skills development, information technology, climate action and people-to-people ties. The two leaders co-hosted the Third FIPIC Summit and launched a Tok Pisin translation of the Tamil classic Thirukkural.

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News/21 May 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Arrives in Port Moresby for the Third FIPIC Summit

Video coverage of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's arrival in Port Moresby ahead of the historic Third Summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation, co-hosted with Prime Minister Hon. James Marape MP.

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News/25 December 2017

Papua New Guinea and India Conclude Agreements Across Trade, Investment and Technology Sectors

Papua New Guinea entered into a series of agreements with India covering a wide range of sectors, with both countries agreeing to a programme of follow-up actions running through to the first quarter of 2018. The agreements followed a delegation of government officials led by the Minister for National Planning, Hon. Richard Maru, which travelled to India to examine investment potential in business and trade and to identify opportunities for mobilising resources towards economic growth. The two governments agreed to strengthen engagement in data intelligence and maintenance, trade and investment, mobilisation of resources, information and communications technology, education, national identification, health, visa and tourism, science and technology, small and medium enterprises, and textiles.

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News/14 December 2017

Papua New Guinea Government Delegation Pursues Trade and Investment Opportunities in India

Reporting from New Delhi, The National recorded the Government's fact finding mission to India, led by the Minister for National Planning and Monitoring, Hon. Richard Maru, who stated that although Papua New Guinea and India had enjoyed bilateral relations since 1972, there were no major investments to show for it. Addressing the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Minister said the delegation's message was clear: "we are here to do business", with members expressing interest in engaging with Papua New Guinea. The delegation met the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog), the Indian Government's policy think-tank, and invited it to attend the inaugural national planning summit in Port Moresby. The Minister for Energy, Information Technology and Communication, Hon. Sam Basil, met the interim secretariat of the International Solar Alliance, noting that a national energy policy focused on renewable energy was awaiting Cabinet approval and that scope existed for a cooperation model tailored to Papua New Guinea. The delegation engaged representatives of India's key sectors and industry players, with a communiqué expected to be signed by the two governments at the conclusion of the week-long programme.

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Press Release/2 May 2016

Media Statement by the President of India on the Conclusion of His State Visit to Papua New Guinea and New Zealand

President Shri Pranab Mukherjee's concluding statement on his State Visits to Papua New Guinea and New Zealand from 28 April to 2 May 2016, the first ever by an Indian President and the first high-level Indian political visit to Papua New Guinea since its independence in 1975. The President recorded his meetings with Governor General Grand Chief Sir Michael Ogio and Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, India's offer of capacity building in agriculture, health, information technology and infrastructure, and the welcome extended to Indian investment in upstream and downstream petroleum and natural gas projects. Three Memorandums of Understanding on health, agriculture and a Centre of Excellence in IT were signed, together with a US$100 million Line of Credit from EXIM Bank for infrastructure development, and India committed drugs and equipment for the treatment of 20,000 HIV patients for one year. Papua New Guinea reiterated its support for India's permanent membership of the UN Security Council and its APEC candidature, and announced Visa on Arrival for Indian nationals. During the visit the President addressed the PNG Business Council, launched the PNG-India Chamber of Commerce, spoke at the University of Papua New Guinea and laid a wreath at the Bomana War Cemetery, where over 600 Indian soldiers of the Second World War are buried.

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Bilateral Document/29 April 2016

India-Papua New Guinea Joint Statement Issued During the State Visit of the President of India

The Honourable President of the Republic of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, undertook a two-day State Visit to Papua New Guinea from 28 to 29 April 2016 at the invitation of Grand Chief Sir Michael Ogio, Governor-General of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea. The joint statement records agreement to expedite a Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, to establish regular Foreign Ministry consultations, and to deepen cooperation across the economic, security, defence, education and health sectors. Instruments signed during the visit included a health sector Memorandum of Understanding, an agricultural research agreement between the PNG University of Technology and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, a Centre of Excellence in Information Technology, and a US$100 million Indian line of credit for infrastructure development.

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Press Release/28 April 2016

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill Welcomes President of India H.E. Shri Pranab Mukherjee on the First Presidential Visit to Papua New Guinea

Prime Minister Hon. Peter O'Neill CMG MP welcomed the President of the Republic of India, H.E. Shri Pranab Mukherjee, on the first visit by an Indian President to Papua New Guinea since diplomatic relations were established in 1976. In their bilateral meeting the two leaders discussed cooperation in agricultural production, downstream processing in the hydrocarbon sector, healthcare and education exchange, and the Technical and Economic Cooperation and Defence Cooperation programmes. The Prime Minister noted growing trade and investment between the two countries, the opportunity for India to secure reliable LNG supply through the Papua LNG Project, Papua New Guinea's offer to host the next Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation meeting, and its support for India's bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council and for APEC membership. A series of Memorandums of Understanding were signed before the President's departure.

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Press Release/25 August 2015

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill Calls for Greater Indian Engagement with the Pacific Islands at the Inaugural FIPIC Summit

Speaking at the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation in Jaipur, Prime Minister Hon. Peter O'Neill CMG MP outlined Papua New Guinea's desire for deeper engagement between India and the Pacific Island nations, describing Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's outreach to Pacific Leaders as the first of its kind by an Indian head of government. The Prime Minister called for a collective Asia-Pacific voice on climate change and disaster management, welcomed the Pan Pacific e-Network Project for tele-education and tele-medicine in remote communities, and noted the relevance of the Make in India, Digital India and Skill India programmes to Papua New Guinea's own development agenda.

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