SYDNEY  - Leaders from Pacific islands will meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a high-level U.S. delegation in Papua New Guinea on Monday. However, U.S. President Joe Biden canceled his attendance at the talks due to debt ceiling negotiations in Washington. This development is viewed by some as a setback for U.S. diplomacy in the region.

U.S. President Joe Biden was initially scheduled to attend a meeting with 18 leaders from the Pacific Islands Forum and sign a defense cooperation agreement with Papua New Guinea (PNG) on Monday. However, due to debt ceiling negotiations in Washington, Biden canceled his attendance. PNG Prime Minister James Marape's office informed Reuters that he will announce details of the defense pact with the United States on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Pacific leaders will engage in discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding regional cooperation. Additionally, they will meet with a U.S. delegation later on Monday to address important areas of cooperation and challenges relevant to both the region and the United States.

According to a statement from Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka's office, the meeting between Pacific leaders, the United States, and India showcases the deep historical and people-to-people connections between these parties. The priorities for the meeting include addressing climate change, protecting maritime resources, and promoting economic growth.

Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, who serves as the chairman of the Pacific Islands Forum, stated that the regional meeting was initially organized between the Pacific countries and India, and his travel plans to Papua New Guinea remained unchanged.

Prime Minister Brown expressed his appreciation for the increased engagement of larger countries in the Pacific, seeing it as an opportunity to discuss and address the challenges and opportunities faced by the region at the leadership level.

Analysts have pointed out that the cancellation of President Joe Biden's visit, which would have been the first by a sitting U.S. president to an independent Pacific islands country, could potentially undermine U.S. credibility in the region. This comes at a time of competition for influence with China in this strategically significant area.

In an editorial published on Thursday, the PNG Post Courier stated that "the Chinese are at least happy for now."

Following the disappointment caused by President Joe Biden's cancellation of his visit to Papua New Guinea, his national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, announced on Wednesday that Biden plans to organize another summit of Pacific island leaders later this year.