Statement to media by EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar after meeting with Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam of Mauritius

Your Excellency, The Honorable Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius,

Honourable Ministers and Senior officials,

Members of the Media,

Ladies & Gentlemen,

Namaskar and Good evening!

It is, Prime Minister, a real privilege to visit Mauritius once again, and I would like to congratulate you and the Government of Mauritius for hosting the 9th Indian Ocean Conference that we will all be attending. I also wish to express my sincere appreciation to the warm and gracious people of Mauritius for the generous hospitality extended to me and my delegation.

Prime Minister, Excellencies, Dear Friends,

In the span of just over a year, the partnership between our nations has witnessed remarkable and substantive progress. During the State Visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Mauritius in March 2025, our two Governments jointly agreed to elevate bilateral ties to an 'Enhanced Strategic Partnership', a decision that stands as a powerful testament to the enduring bonds of history, of culture, and of mutual trust that have long united our peoples. This elevation equally reflects the expanding scope and deepening substance of our cooperation across a wide range of shared priorities, underscoring the unwavering commitment of both our nations to further strengthen this vibrant and forward-looking partnership.

Last year in September, we were deeply honoured to welcome you, Prime Minister, in India for your first bilateral overseas visit. That visit was marked by a significant milestone, namely the Joint announcement of a Special Economic Package, tailored to Mauritius' development priorities and aspirations. I am extremely happy to note that today we are taking that commitment forward through the Exchange of Letters that will give concrete shape to our shared undertakings under the Package. Your visit again in February this year for the AI Impact Summit, immensely contributed to the deliberations in this important area as well as to steer our bilateral relations forward.

Today, I had the honour of calling on the Prime Minister for wide-ranging discussions on various facets of our bilateral relationship, encompassing maritime cooperation, development partnership, health, education, capacity building, and people-to-people ties. I reiterated India's consistent and continued support to the Government and people of Mauritius aligned with its developmental needs and priorities.

During this visit, I will have the privilege of joining the Hon'ble Prime Minister in inaugurating the Renal Transplant Unit at the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, a milestone that reflects the high importance India attaches to health cooperation with Mauritius. Our health partnership, however, extends well beyond any single initiative. From the ENT Hospital to Area Health Centres and MediClinic, India has consistently supported Mauritius in expanding healthcare access across the island. Equally significant is our cooperation in the sphere of holistic and traditional medicine. We look forward to the early completion of the AYUSH Centre of Excellence, which will further strengthen this dimension of our partnership. Taken together, these initiatives stand as a testament to our enduring commitment to the well-being of the Mauritian people.

India and Mauritius share an expanding and dynamic partnership in clean energy and environment-friendly solutions. During this visit, I also look forward to the handing over the last lot of e-buses to further strengthen sustainable public transportation and reduce carbon emissions. Building on our cooperation in renewable energy, including the 8 MW solar power plant at Henrietta, we also work closely with the International Solar Alliance and the Global Biofuels Alliance. I am pleased to note that an Indian public sector enterprise is developing Mauritius' first floating solar power project, further strengthening the green dimension of our partnership.

Friends,

Perhaps the most defining characteristic of our relationship is its people-centric ethos. The 100 community development projects being carried out by India across Mauritius, Rodrigues, and Agalega are the shining embodiment of this philosophy, delivering tangible benefits to the doorsteps of ordinary Mauritians in every corner of this island. Earlier in this event, we just had the privilege of inaugurating 11 of these projects alongside Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam. In the coming years, Phase II of our community development programme, valued at Mauritius Rupees 500 million, will build upon this strong and enduring foundation.

Defence and security cooperation form another vital pillar of our bilateral ties. During this visit, we just saw a presentation on the Royalty payment of USD 45,000, representing revenues earned from the sale of Mauritian nautical charts produced through our joint hydrography service. This is a tangible reflection of the trust and mutual benefit that define our maritime cooperation. I am also happy to announce that we would be very soon positioning a Defence Attache in Mauritius. This will surely strengthen our growing engagements.

Capacity building has long been a key pillar of our bilateral partnership. Mauritius is one of the foremost beneficiaries of our flagship ITEC programme, through which many civil servants, diplomats, and police personnel have undergone training at our premier institutions. It has been, Prime Minister, again a great privilege to jointly launch with you the iGOT Karmayogi portal for Mauritian civil servants, which extends our cooperation into the digital domain and complements our existing capacity-building efforts. This initiative adds particular significance as Mauritius is the first country for which India has developed a dedicated iGOT Karmayogi portal.

Education constitutes another dimension, an important dimension of our bilateral partnership. The agreement between the University Grants Commission and the Higher Education Commission of Mauritius marks a significant step in strengthening our academic cooperation.

In the labour sector as well, significant progress has been made. In following up on the MoU on Labour, and now that it has been operationalised, we look forward to Indian talent and skills being at the service of Mauritius.

Our 'Enhanced Strategic Partnership' today truly extends across all sectors. The ongoing crisis in West Asia, as the Hon'ble Prime Minister reminded us, has underscored the importance of strategic partnerships, especially in the energy sector. We are finalising a Government-to-Government agreement for the supply of oil and gas, which will play an important role in reinforcing energy security for Mauritius.

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Our bilateral partnership occupies a unique and important place within India's three core foreign policy priorities: Neighbourhood First Policy, Vision Mahasagar, and our commitment to the Global South. I take this opportunity to reaffirm India's steadfast commitment to further deepening this very special and enduring partnership with Mauritius. I once again express my sincere gratitude to the Hon'ble Prime Minister and the Government and the people of Mauritius for their hospitality, and extend my congratulations in advance for a very very successful Indian Ocean Conference.

Thank you very much!

Vive Maurice! Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!

Port Louis
April 09, 2026