India reaffirms support for Mauritius during EAM Jaishankar’s official visit
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar concluded a two-day official visit to Mauritius, reaffirming India’s steadfast support for the nation in its quest for development and modernization. His remarks came during the inauguration of several projects and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth in Port Louis.
This visit marks Jaishankar’s first bilateral engagement in Mauritius following his reappointment in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term. He emphasized the significance of this visit, stating, “Mauritius is one of the first countries I am visiting, underscoring the strength and depth of our bilateral ties.”
During discussions with Prime Minister Jugnauth, Jaishankar explored various aspects of the India-Mauritius relationship, including Development Partnership, Defence, Maritime Cooperation, economic ties, and people-to-people linkages. He highlighted that Mauritius is integral to India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and various regional initiatives.
Jaishankar also noted the historical and kinship bonds between the two nations, recalling President Draupadi Murmu’s recent visit to Mauritius for National Day celebrations. He took pride in presenting Overseas Citizen of India cards to descendants of seventh-generation Indian Mauritians, further solidifying the special ties.
The visit saw the inauguration of 12 community development projects, raising the total to 37 operational projects within a year. An additional eight projects are slated to launch in the coming months across Rodrigues and Agalega.
Jaishankar announced the inauguration of the Mediclinic in Grand Bois, built with Indian grant assistance, and indicated a visit to the upcoming Civil Service College in Moka. He also underscored ongoing space cooperation, with plans to launch a satellite for Mauritius through a collaborative project between India’s ISRO and Mauritius MRIC.
In a significant move for maritime collaboration, Jaishankar presented a cheque of 1.3 million Mauritian rupees to the Mauritian government, representing royalties from nautical charts produced by a joint hydrography service.
The minister reiterated India’s support regarding the Chagos issue and confirmed ongoing collaboration on projects such as digitizing records of indentured workers and renewing the ICCR Chair in Sanskrit and Indian Philosophy at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute.
Jaishankar’s visit to Mauritius follows Prime Minister Jugnauth’s recent trip to India for the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Modi and his new cabinet, highlighting the strengthening ties between the two nations.
