By Paramita Datta
India and Mauritius will focus on local currency trading. At the same time, India initiates various infrastructure projects, such as building hospitals and an ATC tower at SSR International Airport in the island country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Mauritius PM Navinchandra Ramgoolam and made decisions during a discussion held in Varanasi.
Modi stated that India and Mauritius were not just partners but a family. He expressed that Kashi, the former name of Varanasi, had represented India’s civilisation and cultural essence. India’s culture and traditions had arrived in Mauritius centuries earlier, and are now integrated into its daily life. He also stated that receiving friends from Mauritius was more than just a formality; it was a spiritual gathering. He mentioned that it was a source of pride for India to serve as the main and reliable partner in Mauritius’s development.
Mr. Ramgoolam is presently undertaking a state visit to India from September 9 to 16. This is his first bilateral visit to India overseas during his current term. He will also travel to Ayodhya and Tirupati. In March, Prime Minister Modi travelled to Mauritius.
PM Modi also announced a Special Economic Package, referring to it as an Economic Package and an investment in a common future. The funding will support significant initiatives such as the 500-bed Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam National Hospital, a veterinary school animal hospital, and an AYUSH centre of excellence.
Mr. Modi praised Mr. Ramgoolam and the citizens of Mauritius for finalising the Chagos agreement, calling it a significant triumph for the island nation’s sovereignty. He claimed that India has consistently backed decolonisation and the complete acknowledgement of Mauritius’s sovereignty, and that in this issue, India has stood resolutely with Mauritius.
In May, it was observed that the United Kingdom had opted to transfer the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, which includes the tropical atoll of Diego Garcia, to Mauritius through a significant agreement. After over 50 years, the U.K. relinquished its rights to the islands but maintained complete responsibility for the security of the strategically important Diego Garcia.
Concerning Mr. Ramgoolam’s trip, it was noted that he was on a state visit to India from September 9 to 16, marking his initial overseas bilateral visit during his current term. His schedule also featured trips to Ayodhya and Tirupati.