Defence data shared only with approval, says Defence Minister
Tikoduadua says foreign military personnel can be in Fiji only with the country’s agreement.
Friday 25 September 2026 | 14:00
Defence and Veterans Affairs Minister Pio Tikoduadua (third from left) addresses the 2026 South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM) in Nadi.
Photo: RFMF Media Cell
Defence information shared between Pacific countries and their security partners will remain protected under strict rules governing sensitive and classified data, Defence and Veterans Affairs Minister Pio Tikoduadua said.
Mr Tikoduadua was questioned about how sensitive information would be secured as defence forces strengthen cooperation and exchange data across the region.
“Information is always sensitive, and the data system ensures that it is sensitive and protected, and it’s for the benefit of all of its users,” he said.
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He said information would only be shared with other countries after the originating country agreed to its releaDefence data shared only with approval, Tikoduadua saysse.
“Sharing data exists at different levels, from both unclassified to classified information,” Mr Tikoduadua said.
“There are separate rules and procedures that we have to follow.
“But we always try our best to make sure that we maintain the integrity of the information that we receive from our partners for the benefit of everyone.”
Foreign troops
Mr Tikoduadua said closer military cooperation also depended on personnel from partner countries working alongside each other.
“One of the best ways that we can work together is to be seen together,” he said.
He said having foreign military personnel in Fiji allowed defence partners to build personal relationships and develop a deeper understanding of their common interests.
“It is our way of having that personal inter-relationship with our friends and, in that way, we also feel that there is a way to connect more deeply in the areas of our common understanding and common interests,” he said.
Mr Tikoduadua stressed that any presence of foreign troops in Fiji would be subject to Fiji’s agreement and respect for the country’s sovereignty.
“Where we need to work together, we in Fiji work for them and, of course, they are here primarily because Fiji has agreed to that,” he said.
He said Fiji’s sovereignty, as well as the protection and security of the region, remained central to such cooperation.
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