New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day state visit to Mauritius, which began on Tuesday (March 11), is a major landmark towards strengthening India-Mauritius relations. He was the guest of honour in the island nation's 57th national day celebrations as invited by his Mauritian counterpart Navinchandra Ramgoolam. Indian defence forces, an Indian Navy warship, and the Indian Air Force's Akash Ganga skydiving squad also attended the grand event.
Separately, Prime Minister Modi attended several diplomatic, cultural, and economic engagements as part of the deep-rooted relationship between the two countries and signed several key pacts. The agreements were linked to cooperation in capacity building, trade, and tackling cross-border financial crimes.
Modi also announced India's new doctrine of maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean for the Global South and named it “MAHASAGAR” (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) following his meeting with his Mauritian counterpart. This comes a decade after he laid out Vision ‘SAGAR,’ which outlined India’s role in the security of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The MAHASAGAR is a crucial step towards the uplifting of the corporation at a time when China is gaining dominance in the Indian Ocean region.
On the occasion, PM Modi stressed the need to prioritise the common interest of India and Mauritius for furthering strategic partnership vis-à-vis defence cooperation and maritime security. “We are committed to extending full cooperation in the security of Mauritius' Exclusive Economic Zone," the prime minister said in his media statement.
“We have taken the SAGAR vision forward for the stability and prosperity of this entire region. Today, taking it forward, I would like to say that our vision for the Global South will be, beyond SAGAR—(it will be) MAHASAGAR that is ‘Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions,’” he added.
PM Engages With Indian Diaspora In Mauritius
A major outcome of his visit was PM Modi being conferred with Mauritius' highest civilian honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean, which marks the 21st international award bestowed upon PM Modi by a foreign nation.
PM Modi interacted with members of the Indian diaspora in Mauritius and announced the issuance of OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) cards to the seventh generation of people of Indian origin in Mauritius as a special gesture. This is seen as a significant milestone in strengthening the connection between India and its diaspora, which is substantially present in Mauritius.
PM Modi's Economic Push in Mauritius
In terms of economic cooperation, PM Modi inaugurated over 20 India-funded projects in the island country, including the Civil Services College Building, Area Health Centre, and 20 Community Projects to enhance democracy, capacity-building, and local development initiatives in Mauritius. Mauritius, a former British and French colony that attained independence in 1968, is one of India's biggest trading partners.
Among other projects, Modi inaugurated the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service & Innovation and the Mauritius Area Health Centre at Cap Malheureux.
During the visit, Prime Minister Modi also announced India’s support for the setting up of a new Parliament Building in Mauritius and Phase II of high-impact community development projects to further enhance the development partnership.
Overall, the visit has strengthened the close historical and strategic links between the two countries and opened the path for more collaboration in sectors including maritime security, economic development, and cultural exchange.
Modi’s Previous Visits to Mauritius
During his visit, PM Modi called on the Mauritius president and prime minister and held meetings with senior dignitaries and leaders of political parties in Mauritius.
He had visited Mauritius previously in 1998 when he was National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the visit aimed to address the International Ramayana Conference in Moka.
In 2015, Modi visited the country again after becoming Prime Minister. That year, he announced SAGAR. "India and Mauritius share a close and special relationship rooted in shared historical, cultural, and people-to-people ties. Further, Mauritius forms an important part of India's Vision SAGAR, i.e., Security and Growth for All in the Region," the MEA statement read.
More Details About Agreement/MoUs
- Agreement between the Reserve Bank of India and the Bank of Mauritius for the Establishment of a Framework to Promote the Use of Local Currencies (INR or MUR) for Cross-border Transactions.
- Credit facility agreement between the Government of the Republic of Mauritius (as borrower) and State Bank of India (as a lending bank)
- Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Industry, SME and Cooperatives (SME division) of the Republic of Mauritius and the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises of the Republic of India on cooperation in the field of micro, small, and medium enterprises.
- Memorandum of Understanding Between the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service, Ministry of External Affairs, Republic of India, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration & International Trade, Republic of Mauritius.
- MoU between the Ministry of Public Service and Administrative Reforms (MPSAR), Government of Mauritius, and National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Government of India.
- Technical Agreement on sharing of White Shipping Information between the Indian Navy and the Government of Mauritius.
- MoU between the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Ministry of Earth Sciences, GoI, and Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Department of Continental Shelf, Maritime Zones Administration and Exploration (CSMZAE), GOM.
- Memorandum of Understanding between the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) and the Financial Crimes Commission of the Republic of Mauritius (FCC).
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