India

He was involved in discussions about financial support from India during India's gathering of Pacific island countries in Jaipur last month.

India's talks with Pacific states resulted in various offers of help in areas from solar power to space technology as well as expanded trade and scholarships.

Some observers feel the Indian government of Narendra Modi is primarily keen to curry support for the country's bid for a permanent seat on the UN security council.

The world's first ever fully solar-powered airport has been launched in the southern Indian state of Kerala.

The Indian government has already directed other airports around the country to start incorporating solar energy into their daily operations.

Al Jazeera's Divya Gopalan reports from Kochi.

Tuvalu and Kiribati both say upcoming climate talks in Paris are vital as rising sea levels threaten their existence.

Fourteen Pacific Island nations have been meeting in Jaipur in India to discuss rising sea levels.

Enele Sopoaga says failure is not an option.

He says the nation may be able to purchase land in other places, such as New Zealand and Australia if necessary.

However he says that won't stop climate change and its impact on Tuvalu, whose nine coral atolls are home to about 11,000 people.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi says space assets and technology can help in many areas including fisheries, forestry, coastal and ocean studies, climate change and disaster management.

He was speaking at the end of a summit between his country and 14 Pacific island countries in the Indian city of Jaipur.

Mr Modi hailed Fiji's support for its Mars mission in 2014 when Fiji hosted Indian scientists who were tracking the mission.

The Indian leader says India can help establish a Space Technology Applications Centre in any one of the countries in the region.

Hosting the first regional summit of the NDA government, India was stitching a positive relationship with the Pacific Islands even as the India-Pakistan NSA talks were coming apart. Anil Wadhwa, Secretary East in MEA, told journalists there was widespread support by the Pacific Islands for India's candidature in the UNSC.

This will be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Jaipur.

On Thursday, addressing the heads of the Pacific Island nations who are in New Delhi for the summit, President Pranab Mukherjee said: “UNSC reform and expansion will be discussed and concrete proposals are expected to be considered in the forthcoming UNGA session next month. An inter-governmental negotiating text is already on the table, for which India needs their support.”  

Leaders and delegates from 14 island nations are in Jaipur for the second Summit of the Forum for India- Pacific Islands Cooperation.

India's Economic Times quotes the country's External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, saying India stands ready to share its expertise and technology with the island nations to help them adapt to and to mitigate the effects of climate change.

The paper says India will push for greater cooperation with the island countries in sectors like oil and natural gas, mining, IT, healthcare, fishing and marine research.

The international conference will be held on August 21.

The local administration and civic bodies have been pressed in to make the city beautiful while general administration department is overseeing the arrangements for the delegates.

The Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) has intensified efforts for the beautification of the city. Hotels where delegates will stay and visit have been earmarked and 10 teams have been deployed for cleaning and landscaping works in the city. Apart from that, officials from the electricity cell too are taking stock of the situation.

In tweets, Modi said: “I am very optimistic about FIPIC Summit. Am sure it will strengthen India's bond with the Pacific island nations.”

Later, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj welcomed the 14 leaders who arrived in India for the summit.

In an address to the FIPIC leaders, she said: “You may be far from us geographically but you have always had a special place in our hearts”, according to tweets posted by external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup.