On Mauritius visit, FS Kwatra discusses ways to further boost ties with a trusted friend and key partner in the region

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra was in Mauritius from April 12-14, 2023, on an official visit aimed at strengthening the bilateral relationship between the two nations. This marked the Foreign Secretary's first official visit to Mauritius, a trusted friend and key partner of India under India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy and SAGAR vision for the Indian Ocean Region.

During his visit, Foreign Secretary Kwatra met with key leaders and officials in the Government of Mauritius to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations.

On April 13, he called on Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth. According to the High Commission of India in Mauritius, they discussed "the special and unique relationship between India and Mauritius that has translated into exceptionally close cooperation in various fields".

Both sides expressed satisfaction regarding the smooth execution of ongoing projects such as Phase IV of the Metro, Civil Services College, 8 MW Solar Power Plant at Henrietta, Renal Transplant unit, Forensics Science Lab, National Archives & Library, Mauritius Police Academy, Community Development Projects, Mediclinic and Area Health Centres.

Additionally, the two sides reviewed ongoing cooperation in diverse areas, such as the Ayush Centre of Excellence (ACE), Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA), Special Rupee Vostro Account mechanism for settlement of bilateral trade transactions and proposed launch of India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Payment System and RuPay card in Mauritius.

The Indian Foreign Secretary also called on Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration, and International Trade Alan Ganoo. The discussions covered potential opportunities for India’s assistance in pharma and ICT sectors as well as greening the Mauritian Public transport sector, the Indian High Commission said.

The visit gave Foreign Secretary Kwatra a chance to see the iconic Mahatma Gandhi Metro Station at Reduit, which was opened on January 22, 2023, as part of celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Mauritius.

In addition, the participation of Mauritius as a 'special invitee' to the G20 under India's Presidency in the 75th year of diplomatic relations was also hailed as a milestone in further strengthening the bilateral partnership.