Why were indentured Indian laborers brought to Fiji?

The first governor of Fiji, Arthur Gordon, promoted the introduction of indentured laborers from India to facilitate the economic development of the new British crown colony while simultaneously protecting the indigenous Fijian population.1

Gordon implemented policies that restricted indigenous Fijians from participating in commercial and political developments, such as banning land sales and governing them through a system of indirect rule. To maintain these protections while still fostering the colony's growth, he encouraged investment by the Colonial Sugar Refining Company to establish sugar plantations and processing mills. Indian migrants were brought in to provide the necessary labor for this industry, and they were encouraged to settle permanently in Fiji once their contracts concluded.12