Port Louis, Jul 16: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday reaffirmed India's "consistent and continued" support to Mauritius in its quest for progress as he held wide-ranging talks with the country's leadership to cement the bilateral ties which are critical for the future of the Indian Ocean region.
Jaishankar is here for a two-day visit for “productive engagements” during which he also reaffirmed India's support to Mauritius on the issue of its territory usurped by the UK, the Chagos Archipelago. The gesture was swiftly appreciated by the island nation.
After Jaishankar's re-appointment in the third term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government last month, this visit to the Indian Ocean island nation marks one of his first bilateral engagements and described as a “testimony of the enduring relationship between India and Mauritius” by the host.
Jaishankar said his visit to Mauritius – what he termed as ‘this beautiful country' – underscores the strength and depth of the bilateral ties. “It is also an opportunity to underline India's unwavering commitment to its special and enduring partnership with Mauritius,” he said at an event attended by Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth.
“India's ties with Mauritius have blossomed into a robust and multifaceted partnership. The bilateral relation with Mauritius serves as a role model for India's successful development collaboration abroad,” Jaishankar said.
“India remains committed to strengthening this critical partnership that is so important for the future of the Indian Ocean region,” he said, amidst the Chinese navy's increasing forays into the region.
During the meeting, Jaishankar and PM Jugnauth discussed “various aspects of bilateral ties, including the Development Partnership, Defence and Maritime Corporation, economic and trade ties, and people-to-people linkages,” he said.
“I reiterated India's consistent and continued support to Mauritius in its quest for progress and prosperity,” he said.
Jugnauth posted on X after the meeting and the event: “I am delighted to welcome the Indian Minister of External Affairs @DrSJaishankar. His visit is a testimony of the enduring relationship between India and Mauritius. We remain committed to pursuing our collaboration for the advancement of both our Nations.”
Jaishankar too posted on X about the meeting, “Honoured to call on PM @KumarJugnauth today in Port Louis. Conveyed the warm greetings of PM @narendramodi. Took stock of our special and enduring partnership and appreciated its further broadening.”
“Looking forward to the continued collaboration and strengthening of India-Mauritius relations,” he added.
Jaishankar met Mauritius Deputy Prime Minister Steven Obeegadoo for a productive luncheon meeting along with officials from both sides. “India attaches utmost importance to Mauritius as part of our Neighborhood First, SAGAR and Forward Africa policies,” he posted on X after the meeting.
Jaishankar concluded his speech at the event by affirming that India remains committed to strengthening the critical partnership with Mauritius that is “so important for the future of the Indian Ocean region.”
“As we look at our deep and enduring relationship, Prime Minister, I would like to again assure you today that on the issue of Chagos, India will continue its consistent support to Mauritius in line with its principal stand on decolonisation and support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations,” Jaishankar said.
Perhaps driven by a common colonial past – India was a colony of Great Britain – the sentiment was immediately reciprocated by Mauritius' Foreign Minister Maneesh Gobin.
“We express our deep gratitude to @DrSJaishankar for reaffirming #India consistent support to #Mauritius regarding the #ChagosArchipelago, in alignment with India's principled stance on #decolonisation, #sovereignty, and #TerritorialIntegrity,” Gobin posted on X soon after the event.
The event saw the inauguration of 12 High Impact Community Development Projects that are funded by India, the exchange of MoUs on education, culture, the digitisation of Immigration Archives and the exchange of Project Plan Documents between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Mauritius Research and Innovation Council (MRIC).
India also paid the royalty payment cheque of MUR 1.3 million towards revenues earned from the sale of Mauritian nautical charts produced by the India-Mauritius joint hydrographic service, which is nearly two decades old.
Jaishankar and Jugnauth also handed over the first Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards to “two very fine specimens of seventh-generation Indian origin Mauritians,” described by the EAM as “This special carve-out for Mauritius further demonstrates our special and enduring ties.”
“A momentous day as we inaugurate High Impact Community Development Projects,, exchange MoUs, and hand over OCI cards in #Mauritius by @DrSJaishankar. Deep gratitude to #India for its unwavering support and commitment to our shared vision. #IndiaMauritius,” Gobin said in another post on X.
Earlier, Jaishankar conveyed the “personal greetings and warm regards” of Prime Minister Modi to Jugnauth and also told him that the people of India appreciated very deeply his presence as the Modi government was sworn in for the third time, last month.
Jaishankar also complimented the Mauritian Prime Minister for his leadership in seeing Mauritius, through the COVID challenge, and to the people of that country “for the tremendous resilience shown in overcoming, what is really a once-in-a-century event.”
After the bilateral meetings, Jaishankar paid homage at the memorials of the Father of the Mauritian Nation Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam and the architect of the ‘Mauritian Miracle' Sir Aneerood Jugnauth at the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden.
“Their legacies have shaped the deep and enduring friendship between India and Mauritius,” he said in a separate post on X.
Keeping in tune with the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign initiated by Prime Minister Modi earlier last month, Jaishankar also planted a tree at the ‘Maitree Udyan' as a symbol of India-Mauritius everlasting friendship. His Mauritian counterpart, Gobin accompanied him at the groundbreaking ceremony.
Later, he was joined by another Mauritian Minister Anjiv Ramdhany on a visit to the New Civil Service College project in Réduit being built with Indian funding. “We will continue to support capacity-building initiatives in Mauritius through our development partnership and institutional linkages,” Jaishankar said.
According to the Indian High Commission at Mauritius website, India has close, long-standing relations with Mauritius, an island nation in the Western Indian Ocean, owing to historical, demographic and cultural reasons.
A key reason for the special ties is the fact that Indian-origin people comprise nearly 70 per cent of the island's population of 1.2 million, it added. PTI