India and Mauritius on Wednesday elevated their ties to an 'enhanced strategic partnership' and inked eight pacts to boost cooperation in several sectors including trade and maritime security even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled an ambitious vision for the development of the Global South.
The agreements inked will provide for promoting the 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.
On the second and final day of his two-day trip to Port Louis, PM Modi attended the national day celebrations of Mauritius as the chief guest.
A contingent of Indian armed forces also participated in the celebrations along with a warship of the Indian Navy and the Akash Ganga skydiving team of the Indian Air Force.
Following talks with his Mauritian counterpart Navinchandra Ramgoolam, PM 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.
PM Modi 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.
"We are committed to extend full cooperation in the security of Mauritius' Exclusive Economic Zone," the prime minister said in his media statement.
The unveiling of the new 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"," he said in a media statement.
PM Modi said the new approach will focus on the spirit of trade for development, capacity building for sustainable growth, and mutual security for a shared future.
"Under this, cooperation will be ensured through technology sharing, concessional loans and grants." 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, PM 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 the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean.
In October last year, the UK announced its decision to hand over the sovereignty of the 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 the 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 the reopening of talks with the UK over the Chagos Islands as it sought a relook at the deal.
In his remarks, PM 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 10 years, we have added many new dimensions to our relations. We have set new records in development cooperation and capacity building," PM Modi said.
The prime minister also announced several development projects to be implemented in Mauritius with India's assistance.
Work will be done to modernise the 100-kilometer-long water pipeline, he said.
In the second phase of community development projects, new projects worth 500 million Mauritian rupees would be started, he added.
We have also agreed to settle mutual trade in local currencies, PM 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." PM 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," PM Modi said.
"For the people of Mauritius, facilities will be provided for Char Dham Yatra and Ramayana trail in India." India has close and longstanding relations with Mauritius, an island nation in the Western Indian Ocean.
A key reason for the special ties is the fact that Indian-origin people comprise nearly 70 per cent of the island nation's population of 1.2 million.
Since 2005, India has been among the largest trading partners of Mauritius.
