Mauritius represents the intersection of our Neighbourhood First policy: S Jaishankar
Mauritius represents the intersection of India's Neighbourhood First, SAGAR and Forward Africa policies, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told business leaders in Port Louis on Tuesday.
Mr Jaishankar, who arrived in Port Louis in India's strategically key maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean region on Sunday night from the Maldives on the last leg of his two-nation tour, met former Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius Xavier Duval and discussed the ongoing India-Mauritius cooperation.
He also met former prime minister of Mauritius Navin Ramgoolam.
"Received Labour Party leader & former PM Dr. Navin Ramgoolam. Reiterated the close friendship and shared values between the people of India and Mauritius," Mr Jaishankar said in a tweet.
"Mauritius represents the intersection of our Neighbourhood First, SAGAR and Forward Africa policies. CECPA highlights the resulting economic opportunities. Discussed this with business leaders along with Finance Minister Renganaden Padayachy and Commerce Secretary Anup Wadhawan," he said.
Mauritius is one of India's key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region and occupies a special place in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'SAGAR' (Security and Growth for All in the Region).
The term SAGAR was coined by PM Modi in 2015 during his Mauritius visit with a focus on the blue economy. It is a maritime initiative that gives priority to the Indian Ocean region for ensuring peace, stability and prosperity of India in the Indian Ocean region.
India on Monday signed a landmark Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) with Mauritius, the first of its kind with an African nation, making the strategically-located country a launch-pad for business expansion into the huge African continent.
Indian-origin people constitute nearly 70 per cent of the population of Mauritius. Their ancestors were sent there as indentured labourers during British rule.