India and Mauritius have significantly deepened their strategic and development partnership with the announcement of a comprehensive bilateral package exceeding USD 680 million during Mauritian Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam’s ongoing state visit to India.

The visit, which runs from September 9 to 16, underscores the growing importance of Mauritius as a vital regional partner for New Delhi, both in the Indian Ocean strategic calculus and in advancing development-oriented cooperation.

The agreements and announcements, made during high-level talks and a joint press briefing in Varanasi with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reflect a multidimensional expansion of collaboration across infrastructure, space, energy, education, healthcare, governance, and the blue economy.

A central highlight was the joint declaration of a Special Economic Package that will deliver USD 215 million worth of grant-based projects and USD 440 million worth of projects on a grant-cum-line of credit basis. On the grant-funded side, India has committed to supporting the construction of a new Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam National Hospital, an AYUSH Centre of Excellence to promote traditional medicine, the establishment of a Veterinary School and Animal Hospital, and the provision of helicopters for multipurpose public use.

Together, these initiatives are valued at approximately USD 215 million (MUR 9.80 billion) and aim to significantly upgrade Mauritius’s healthcare capabilities, veterinary science education, and emergency response infrastructure.

Under the grant-cum-line of credit framework, a further USD 440 million (MUR 20.10 billion) has been allocated to advance several large-scale infrastructure projects. These include the completion of a new Air Traffic Control tower at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, the development of key road links such as Motorway M4 and Ring Road Phase-II, and the provision of modern port equipment to the Cargo Handling Corporation Ltd.

Alongside these planned projects, India extended an immediate USD 25 million in budgetary support for Mauritius’s current financial year, reinforcing its role as a stable partner in the island nation’s fiscal sustainability.

Beyond economic support, the two nations broadened their scope of cooperation through the signing of seven Memorandums of Understanding spanning science and technology, oceanography, power, public administration, small development projects, hydrography, and space cooperation.

Within this framework, space collaboration emerged as a crucial component, particularly with the agreement to establish telemetry, tracking, and communication facilities—reflecting India’s role in strengthening Mauritius’s access to advanced space technologies and satellite data. Maritime research and hydrographic mapping were also prioritised, a decision of strategic importance given both nations’ shared interest in safeguarding the Indian Ocean Region’s (IOR) sea lanes and ecological resources.

The education sector saw new momentum with the signing of MoUs between the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, and the University of Mauritius, as well as between the Indian Institute of Plantation Management, Bangalore, and the University of Mauritius.

These partnerships are expected to expand joint research, faculty exchanges, and capacity-building efforts to bolster Mauritius’s academic ecosystem. In renewable energy, India announced that NTPC Ltd. would soon dispatch a team to finalise a 17.5 MW Floating Solar Photovoltaic Project at Tamarind Falls, reflecting the emphasis on promoting clean and sustainable energy in non-traditional energy geographies of the Indian Ocean.

Strategically, both sides committed to advancing port infrastructure, with in-principle agreements for the redevelopment and restructuring of Mauritius’s main port, ensuring the country’s position as a major shipping and logistics hub in the South-West Indian Ocean.

India also pledged support for surveillance and marine protection in the Chagos Archipelago, an area of profound global and diplomatic significance. Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s longstanding commitment to decolonisation and congratulated Prime Minister Ramgoolam on the progress Mauritius has made regarding the Chagos sovereignty question, terming it a historic achievement for Mauritian independence.

Prime Minister Ramgoolam, in turn, lauded India’s consistent support and emphasised that the bilateral relationship has transcended its historical and diasporic underpinnings to become a forward-looking developmental and strategic partnership rooted in shared values, mutual trust, and regional cooperation. He welcomed India’s role as a reliable development partner, helping Mauritius strengthen its healthcare, infrastructure, maritime, and educational ecosystems.

The agreements and financial commitments announced in Varanasi bring the India–Mauritius partnership into a new phase of comprehensive modernisation and strategic alignment. By combining direct grant aid with concessional financing, India has positioned itself not only as the primary development partner of Mauritius but also as a critical regional stakeholder securing the stability, connectivity, and prosperity of the wider Indian Ocean theatre.

The visit, which continues until September 16, cements Mauritius’s status as a key partner in India’s Indo-Pacific vision and further demonstrates New Delhi’s ability to integrate developmental diplomacy with strategic maritime security objectives.

Based On ANI Report