India's next High Commissioner to Fiji, Dr Prabhakar Jha, was given a warm sendoff by ARSP (Antar-Rashtriya Sahyog Parishad) - Indian Council for International Cooperation - members in New Delhi. Dr Jha, a political appointee, was earlier India's Ambassador in Madagascar.

He narrated how he was greeted in Madagascar on the very first day of his arrival. A crowd showed him black flags and shouted, "Indians are exploiters". Dr Jha, who is a Professor in Banaraa Hindu University, tackled this anti-India feelings and by the time he returned home Madagascar had more friends of India than before.

By and large this was an informal gathering and Fiji's High Commissioner in India, Mr Luke Rokovada, apprised the gathering about the development of Indo-Fijian cooperation - after the recent military coup in his country.

He said the New Zealand and Oz behaviour towards Fiji was "confrontational", whereas India understood his country's ethos. He said India and Fiji plan to enter into political, economic, cultural, scientific and technological cooperation for mutual benefit. Indians in Fiji are traditional and conservative.

Another encouraging news Mr Rokovada gave was that the former Prime Minister of Fiji has returned to his country and will cooperate with the Army in the interest of Fiji. "There is a talk of next general elections in Fiji in the next two to three years," he said.

Mr Ajay Singh, former Indian High Commissioner to Fiji, was present on the occasion and regaled the audience with his anecdotes.