Port Louis: India and Mauritius Wednesday elevated their ties to ‘enhanced strategic partnership’ and inked eight pacts to boost ties in several sectors, including maritime security, and promote trade in local currencies, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled an ambitious vision for growth and security of the Global South.
On the second and final day of his two-day trip to Mauritius, Modi graced the national day celebrations of the island nation as the chief guest and announced a raft of development projects for the strategically-located country.
Following talks with his Mauritian counterpart Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Modi announced India’s new vision for Global South and named it “MAHASAGAR” or “Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions”, a policy approach that came against the backdrop of China’s relentless attempts to expand its influence in the Indian Ocean.
“We are committed to extend full cooperation in the security of Mauritius’ Exclusive Economic Zone,” the prime minister said.
In the meeting, Modi reiterated India’s continued support and assistance to Mauritius in augmenting its defence and security needs given the shared objectives of the two nations in the region.
The PM said a free, open, secure, and safe Indian Ocean is the common priority of India and Mauritius and that he and Ramgoolam agreed that defence cooperation and maritime security are an important part of the strategic partnership between the two countries.
The two sides also unveiled a ‘Joint Vision for an Enhanced Strategic Partnership’ that outlined the futuristic approach in expanding bilateral cooperation in a range of areas including in defence and maritime security, trade, health and education, and space and climate change.
The document noted that the two sides will enhance maritime cooperation through increasing deployment of ships and aircraft for joint maritime surveillance and hydrographic surveys.
It said the two leaders also resolved to deepen cooperation towards securing EEZ of Mauritius, including through enhanced utilisation of newly built runway and jetty at Agalega.
The unveiling of the ‘MAHASAGAR’ vision came 10 years after the prime minister announced during his visit to Mauritius in 2015, New Delhi’s SAGAR or Security and Growth for All in the Region policy that formed the bedrock for India’s engagement with the Indian Ocean Region.
“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”,” Modi said in his media statement.
The new approach will focus on the spirit of trade for development, capacity building for sustainable growth, and mutual security for a shared future, he said.
“Under this, cooperation will be ensured through technology sharing, concessional loans and grants,” Modi said.
The agreements inked after Modi-Ramgoolam talks will provide for promoting use of national currencies for cross-border transactions, sharing of maritime data, joint work in combating money laundering and enhancing cooperation in the MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) sector.
In his remarks, Ramgoolam said Mauritius continues to benefit from Indian assistance for its socio-economic development, adding the two sides will continue to reinforce trade relations through the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA).
At a media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said an agreement was inked on an Indian rupee-denominated line of credit amounting to Rs 487 crore for undertaking the replacement of water pipelines in Mauritius.
This line of credit has been extended by the State Bank of India and it is the first ever Indian rupee-based Line of Credit that’s being extended by New Delhi to any country, he said.
In their talks, the two leaders noted that defence and maritime security cooperation remains an important pillar of bilateral relations and close cooperation in this domain has achieved a strategic dimension and benefited both countries immensely, the document on joint vision for an enhanced strategic partnership noted.
They further agreed that Mauritius and India, having a shared commitment to ensure a free, open, safe and secure Indian Ocean Region, are natural partners in the region and reiterated their resolve to work closely in countering maritime challenges and safeguarding the larger strategic interests in the region, it said.
The document stated Ramgoolam conveyed his appreciation to India for its “unwavering support” to Mauritius in protecting its vast Exclusive Economic Zone through provisioning of defence and maritime assets and regular deployment of ships and aircraft.
The Mauritian PM further thanked India for its continued assistance towards refit of Coast Guard Ships Victory, Valiant and Barracuda, on grant basis.
The document said Modi noted that Mauritius is a special maritime partner for India and is an important partner under India’s Vision SAGAR. The Indian prime minister also said New Delhi will cooperate in building the new Parliament building in Mauritius and it will be a gift to the island nation from the ‘Mother of Democracy’.
Delving into strategic cooperation between the two nations, Modi said every possible help will be provided to Mauritius to help it meet the needs of its Coast Guard and that New Delhi will assist in the establishment of a police academy and national maritime information sharing centre in the country.
“Cooperation on white shipping, blue economy and hydrography will be strengthened. We fully respect Mauritius’ sovereignty in the context of Chagos,” he said.
India has been supporting the island nation in its efforts to reach a mutually beneficial deal with the UK over Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean. In October last year, the UK had announced its decision to hand over the sovereignty of Chagos Islands to Mauritius after more than half a century under a historic agreement.
Under the deal, sealed during the tenure of previous Mauritian PM Pravind Jugnauth, the UK would give up sovereignty over Chagos Islands but would maintain a 99-year lease over the UK-US military airbase on the largest island, Diego Garcia.
However, the new Mauritius government led by Ramgoolam demanded reopening of talks with the UK over Chagos Islands as it sought a relook at the deal.
The two leaders also virtually inaugurated the area health center in Cap Malheureux, and as many as 20 high-impact community development projects. In his remarks, Modi said he and Ramgoolam decided to give the status of “Enhanced Strategic Partnership” to the India-Mauritius ties.
“We are each other’s partners on the path of economic and social progress. Be it a natural disaster or the COVID disaster, we have always supported each other.
“Be it defence or education, health or space, we are walking shoulder to shoulder in every field,” he said.
“In the last ten years, we have added many new dimensions to our relations. We have set new records in development cooperation and capacity building,” Modi said.
The prime minister also announced several development projects to be implemented in Mauritius under India’s assistance.
Work will be done to modernise the 100-km long water pipeline, he said.
In the second phase of community development projects, new projects worth 500 million Mauritian rupees will be started, he added.
“We have also agreed to settle mutual trade in local currencies,” Modi said.
The prime minister also mentioned various India-assisted projects in the island nation that included “metro express for speed in Mauritius, supreme court building for justice, social housing for comfortable stay, ENT hospital for good health, UPI and Rupay Card to promote business and tourism”.
Modi and Ramgoolam also dedicated to Mauritius the “Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation”.
The prime minister also touched upon the people-to-people connection between the two nations.
“We will work together for the use of AI (artificial intelligence) and DPI, which is digital public infrastructure in human development,” Modi said.
“For the people of Mauritius, facilities will be provided for Char Dham Yatra and Ramayana trail in India,” he said.
A contingent of Indian armed forces also participated in the national day celebrations along with a warship of the Indian Navy and the Akash Ganga skydiving team of the Indian Air Force.
PTI
