Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day state visit to Mauritius, as Chief guest for the 57^th Independence anniversary and 33^rd year of the Republic.

Interestingly, Mauritius’ National Day on March 12, has an Indian connection as well. Mahatma Gandhi briefly stopped on the island in 1901 while traveling from South Africa to India. During his visit, Gandhi delivered three transformative messages to Indian workers: emphasising education, political empowerment, and maintaining ties with India. Hence, as a tribute to Gandhi, Mauritius holds its National Day on the date of Gandhi’s famous Dandi march.

Before leaving for Mauritius, PM Modi on Monday said that his visit would open a “new and bright” chapter in the ties between the two nations. In his departure statement, the prime minister said he was looking forward to engaging with the leadership of Mauritius to elevate “our partnership in all its facets and strengthen our enduring friendship for the progress and prosperity of our peoples”.

“Mauritius is a close maritime neighbour, a key partner in the Indian Ocean, and a gateway to the African Continent. We are connected by history, geography and culture…Deep mutual trust, a shared belief in the values of democracy, and celebration of our diversity are our strengths,” Modi said, adding that the close and historical people-to-people connection between the two sides is a source of shared pride.

Indian Navy and Mauritius authorities have signed a technical agreement on exchanging information on white shipping during the Prime Minister’s visit. The two sides also signed several agreements in the field of capacity building, bilateral trade, tackling cross-border financial crimes and promoting small and medium enterprises.

Narendra Modi handed an OCI card (Overseas Citizen of India) to the Prime Minister Dr Navin Ramgoolam and his wife and also to the President Dharam Gokhool.

Narendra Modi had earlier visited Mauritius in 2015 and 1998. The official account of Modi Archive shared a glimpse of his October 1998 visit to “Mini India” as a BJP National General Secretary to address the International Ramayana Conference in Moka. During his 2015 tour as the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), India’s doctrine of maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean region. 

Ahead of the visit, Modi on Saturday said it supports the island nation in its efforts to reach a mutually beneficial deal with the UK over the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean. The issue is expected to figure in talks with Mauritian Prime Minister Ramgoolam. In October last year, the UK announced its decision to hand over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after more than half a century under a historic agreement.

Modi’s previous visit to Mauritius in 2015 resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance transport facilities on Agaléga island. The agreement aimed to improve sea and air connectivity, benefiting the island’s inhabitants and strengthening the Mauritian Defence Forces’ capabilities.

Agaléga island, located 1,100 km north of Mauritius, has strategic importance due to its proximity to the Indian southern coast. In February 2024, India and Mauritius jointly inaugurated the air strip and jetty projects on the island, strengthening their bilateral cooperation.

Mauritius has reassured that the Agaléga island development is not intended for military purposes, with former Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth dismissing concerns about India’s intentions. Instead, the focus is on enhancing the island’s infrastructure and promoting economic growth.

For India, strengthening ties with Mauritius is crucial in the face of China’s growing presence in the Indian Ocean region. India aims to work closely with island nations like Mauritius to counterbalance China’s influence.

The Indian Ocean region has become a hotspot for geopolitical competition, with various nations vying for influence. Europe, the Gulf countries, Russia, Iran, and Turkey are all expanding their presence in the region, making it essential for India to nurture its relationships with neighbouring countries.

India has been actively engaged in various development projects in Mauritius, with nearly $1.1 billion in development assistance provided over the last decade. These projects include the Metro Express, the new Supreme Court building, a housing project for the poor, small people-oriented projects and grant assistance.

As a trusted partner, India has consistently been the first responder for Mauritius in times of crisis, including during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Wakashio oil-spill crisis, and Cyclone Chido.

The two nations also enjoy strong trade ties, with India being amongst Mauritius’ largest trading partners. Mauritius is the second-largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into India for FY 2023-24, after Singapore.

In addition to trade and security cooperation, India and Mauritius are exploring opportunities in space research and have a long-standing agreement on space cooperation, and in November 2023, they signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a joint satellite.

Capacity building is another area of cooperation, with Mauritius being one of the largest beneficiaries of India’s Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program. Since 2002-03, India has trained around 4,940 Mauritians under civilian and defense slots of ITEC.

Narendra Modi also met Mauritius President Dharam Gokhool and he paid tribute to the Samadhi of former prime ministers Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam and Sir Anerood Jugnauth at the Pamplemousses botanical garden.

At a meeting with Mauritian citizens and the Indian expatriate community held at the Trianon convention, Modi stated that he felt at home in Mauritius and that Mauritius is now a ‘family’. He also emphasized that Mauritius is the only country in the world that can claim a ‘right’ on India. He even spoke about mutual culinary links such as the famous dholl puri and gato pima.

Before the flight back to India, Modi visited the spiritual Grand Bassin which is the site for the annual Maha Shivaratree pilgrimage, a place he first visited in 1998.