NEW DELHI: India and Mauritius upgraded their ties to an Enhanced Strategic Partnership as PM Narendra Modi held formal talks with his counterpart Navinchandra Ramgoolam, reaffirming commitment to a free, open and secure Indian Ocean and pledging full support for the security of Mauritius’s Exclusive Economic Zone, including through increased deployment of ships and aircraft.
Modi also advanced the vision of ‘Mahasagar’ (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) for the Global South, 10 years after he announced India’s ‘Vision Sagar’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) from the same strategically located Indian Ocean country that, he said, connects India to the wider Global South.
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It shall encompass the ideas of trade for development, capacity building for sustainable growth, and mutual security for a shared future. Under this, we will extend cooperation through technology sharing, concessional loan and grants,” Modi said, describing Mauritius also as a special partner in the region.
Modi’s meeting with Ramgoolam was followed by signing of eight agreements and several announcements, including construction of a new Mauritius Parliament building by India, which Modi said would be a gift from the “mother of democracy”.
India had last year welcomed the UK-Mauritius agreement for Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago, which houses a US-UK military base, and Modi reiterated India’s “firm support” for Mauritius on this issue. Ramgoolam thanked Modi for his personal support and engagement with global representatives on this issue, according to a joint statement that described the two countries as natural partners.
“We fully respect the sovereignty of Mauritius with regard to Chagos. We will extend our cooperation through forums such as the Colombo Security Conclave, Indian Ocean Rim Association, and Indian Ocean Conference,” Modi said in his media statement after the meeting.
India also announced a rupee-denominated line of credit amounting to Rs 487 crore for undertaking the replacement of water pipelines in Mauritius. “It is the first-ever Indian rupee-based line of credit that’s being extended by India to any country and, therefore, a significant development,” foreign secretary Vikram Misri said.
Modi laid special emphasis on defence and maritime security cooperation, calling it a key pillar of the strategic partnership and committing to fulfil all the needs of the local coast guard. “India shall also assist in setting up of the police academy and National Maritime Information Sharing Centre in Mauritius. Cooperation will be further strengthened in white shipping, blue economy, and hydrography,” he said.
According to the joint statement, Ramgoolam thanked Modi for “unwavering support” to Mauritius in protecting its vast EEZ through provisioning of defence and maritime assets, regular deployment of ships and aircraft, conducting joint maritime surveillance, hydrographic surveys and patrolling, bilateral exercises and information sharing and training support, “thereby emerging as a significant security provider for Mauritius”.
The representatives also agreed to deepen cooperation towards securing the EEZ of Mauritius, including through enhanced utilisation of a new runway and jetty on the Agalega islands that India has built amid increasing Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean.
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The representatives called for ratifying the protocol on amendment of double taxation avoidance agreement, which was signed last year, at the earliest “to harmonise with international standards on treaty abuse, after ongoing discussions are concluded”. Foreign secretary Vikram Misri said Mauritius had sought some clarification and those had been addressed by India at a very high level. “Our aim is to set at rest all doubts and provide satisfaction to our friends and colleagues from Mauritius that they have a good and a solid agreement on this front… we very much hope that Mauritius will complete its internal processes at the soonest, and the protocol will come into force very quickly,” he added.
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