NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the Guest of Honour at the 57th National Day celebrations of Mauritius. He is scheduled to visit Mauritius on March 11 and 12.
In a speech to Parliament, Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam announced Modi's visit to the island nation, which has a population consisting of 70% people of Indian origin.
“I am delighted to announce that, at my invitation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has graciously agreed to be the Guest of Honour for our National Day celebrations. It is indeed a great privilege for Mauritius to host such an esteemed leader, especially given his packed schedule and recent trips to Paris and the United States. His agreement to be our special guest is a powerful reflection of the close relationship our two nations share,” Ramgoolam said.
The Mauritian Prime Minister further said that Modi’s visit highlights the strong and lasting bond between India and Mauritius.
India has long been Mauritius' 'First Responder' in times of crisis, offering crucial assistance during events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Wakashio oil spill. In response to the country's request, India provided 13 tonnes of medicines, 10 tonnes of Ayurvedic medicines, and a Rapid Response Medical Team to combat Covid-19 in April-May 2020. Additionally, India was the first country to send 1 lakh doses of Covishield vaccines to Mauritius on 22 January 2021, followed by another 1 lakh doses of Covishield and 2 lakh doses of Covaxin on a commercial basis. In a gesture of solidarity, the island nation in the West Indian Ocean also donated 200 oxygen concentrators to India in April 2021, during the devastating second wave of Covid-19.
Since 2005, India has been one of Mauritius’ largest trading partners. In FY 2023-24, Indian exports to Mauritius totalled USD 778.03 million, while Mauritius' exports to India stood at USD 73.10 million, resulting in a total bilateral trade of USD 851.13 million. This marks significant growth from USD 206.76 million in 2005-06 to the current total.
Mauritius has played a key role in terms of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to India, with a cumulative FDI of USD 175 billion flowing into the country since 2000, accounting for 25% of total FDI inflows into India.