Port Moresby | Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Monday conferred with the highest honour of Fiji by its premier Sitiveni Rabuka in recognition of his global leadership, in a rare honour for a non-Fijian.

Modi arrived here in Papua New Guinea on Sunday on his maiden visit to the country to host a key summit between India and 14 Pacific island countries to boost bilateral ties.

"Big Honour for India. Prime Minister Modi has been conferred the highest honour of Fiji by the PM of Fiji: Companion of the Order of Fiji in recognition of his global leadership. Only a handful of Non-Fijians have received this honour to date," the Prime Minister's Office said.

Prime Minister Modi dedicated the honour to the people of India and to the generations of the Fiji-Indian community, who have played a key role in the special and enduring bond between the two countries, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Twitter.

On the sidelines of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) summit, he also met his Fijian counterpart Rabuka.

"Delighted to meet PM @slrabuka of Fiji. We had a great conversation on various topics. The relations between India and Fiji have stood the test of time. We look forward to working together to further cement it in the coming years," Prime Minister Modi tweeted