New Delhi/Port Louis: Ahead of his departure for Mauritius shortly after midnight on Tuesday to participate in that country’s celebrations of its 57th National Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday evening said the southern Indian Ocean nation was a “close maritime neighbour, a key partner in the Indian Ocean, and a gateway to the African continent”. He added: “I am confident that this visit will build on the foundations of the past and open a new and bright chapter in the India and Mauritius relationship.”In his departure statement, Mr Modi said: “At the invitation of my friend, Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, I am embarking on a two-day state visit to Mauritius to participate in the celebrations of the 57th National Day of Mauritius” on Wednesday as the chief guest. A contingent of Indian defence forces will also participate in the celebrations along with a ship from the Indian Navy, New Delhi had said last week. It may be noted a large number of people in Mauritius are of Indian origin and descendants of indentured labourers who were taken there from India during the time of the British Raj in the 19th century.India’s high commissioner to Mauritius Anurag Srivastava said, meanwhile, that India and Mauritius will sign “significant agreements” to advance economic ties during Mr Modi’s visit starting Tuesday. Mr Srivastava highlighted the launch of the RuPay card and Unified Payment Interface (UPI) in Mauritius as key tools to boost tourist inflows into the East African nation. He told PTI: “In terms of our economic relationship, there is a lot of potential. The expectation is that during the visit, there would be further discussions and significant agreements regarding trade to take forward our economic ties.”On Monday, Mr Modi added in New Delhi: “We are connected by history, geography and culture. Deep mutual trust, a shared belief in the values of democracy, and celebration of our diversity are our strengths. The close and historical people-to-people connect is a source of shared pride. We have made significant strides in the past ten years with people centric initiatives. I look forward to the opportunity to engage with the Mauritius leadership to elevate our partnership in all its facets and strengthen our enduring friendship for the progress and prosperity of our peoples, as well as for security and development in the Indian Ocean Region, as part of our Vision SAGAR Security and Growth for All in the Region).Mr Modi had last visited Mauritius in 2015. “During the visit, the Prime Minister will call on the President of Mauritius, meet the Prime Minister, and hold meetings with senior dignitaries and leaders of political parties in Mauritius. The Prime Minister will also interact with the members of the Indian-origin community, and inaugurate the Civil Service College and the Area Health Centre, both built with India’s grant assistance. A number of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) will be exchanged during the visit,” New Delhi had said earlier.
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