MAHASAGAR, he said, stands for ‘Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.’
“Ten years ago, the foundation stone of Vision SAGAR, i.e., ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region,’ was laid here in Mauritius. We have moved forward with the SAGAR vision for the stability and prosperity of this entire region,” PM Modi said in a statement.
“Today, taking it forward, I would like to say that our vision for the Global South will be, beyond SAGAR – MAHASAGAR.”
The two countries also further elevated ties to an “enhanced strategic partnership”, and signed eight agreements, with the Indian government promising cooperation in the building of a new parliament for Mauritius, along with at least 500 million Mauritian rupees in development assistance.
“It [MAHASAGAR] includes the spirit of trade for development, capacity building for sustainable growth, and mutual security for a shared future. Under this, cooperation will be provided through technology sharing, concessional loans and grants,” the statement added.
The Prime Minister was on a two-day visit to the African island nation from 11 to 12 March. On Wednesday, Modi was the chief guest at the Mauritius National Day celebrations. This is the second time PM Modi has been the chief guest of the celebrations. The first time was in 2015.
On Tuesday, he called on President Dharambeer Gokhool and held delegation-level talks with the new Mauritian Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam. Modi also interacted with the Indian community in Mauritius, apart from meeting the opposition leaders of the country.
India has been stepping up its efforts as a developmental partner for the emerging economies, especially those located in the IOR and the immediate neighbourhood as China continues to strengthen its economic inroads through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The African island nation has strategic importance in the larger IOR, and in recent years expanded its security cooperation with India, joining the Colombo Security Conclave in March 2022.
Mauritius has received roughly $1.1 billion in concessional loans and grants from India in the last decade. This has aided a number of developmental infrastructure projects, including the Metro Express project, as well as health and social housing related projects.
“I agree that defence cooperation and maritime security are important parts of our strategic partnership. Free, open, secure, and safe Indian Ocean is our shared priority. We are committed to extend full cooperation in the security of Mauritius’ Exclusive Economic Zone,” said Modi.
“In this context, every possible help will be provided to meet the needs of the Coast Guard. India will cooperate in the establishment of the Police Academy and National Maritime Information Sharing Centre in Mauritius.”
The Indian Prime Minister acknowledged New Delhi’s continued support to Port Louis over the sovereignty of Chagos islands. Mauritius has been negotiating an agreement with the United Kingdom for the return of the archipelago in return for a long-term lease of the Diego Garcia island. The island is home to a military base of the US, which is critical for its projection of force in the Indo-Pacific region.
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Elevated ties, agreements across sectors
Mauritian PM Ramgoolam Wednesday announced that the two leaders have agreed to a ‘Joint Vision for an Enhanced Strategic Partnership,’ which would involve deepening collaboration in areas such as space research, artificial intelligence, digital health, ocean economy, pharmaceuticals, financial technologies, ICTs and cybersecurity.
As a part of this deepening cooperation, the two countries agreed to a slew of agreements, including on capacity building, promotion of local currency payments, cooperation in the MSME sector, sharing of white shipping information, and combating financial crimes.
The technical agreement in white shipping would enhance Mauritius’ maritime security and surveillance capabilities, allowing it to combat illegal activities by enabling real-time sharing of information between its government and the Indian Navy.
The agreement between the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) and the Prime Minister’s Office of Mauritius sets up a comprehensive framework for cooperation in ocean observation and management to enhance Port Louis’ maritime domain awareness.
Apart from these agreements, the State Bank of India also signed an agreement with the government of Mauritius, extending a line of credit of up to Rs 487.6 crores for the purpose of the water pipe replacement project in the island country.
Modi also announced that new projects from New Delhi, worth about Rs 100 crore, will be started in the second phase of supporting community development in Mauritius.
(Edited by Sanya Mathur)
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