On his visit to Mauritius this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm welcome as part of a whole-of-government approach, highlighting the deepening and strengthening of Indo-Mauritian ties. The warm reception given to the PM by Navin Ramgoolam, the Prime Minister of Mauritius, in Port Louis demonstrated the strategic and cultural bonds between them.
India has long been the primary security provider and leading development partner of Mauritius. The country remains a central pillar of India’s Indian Ocean policy, and Modi’s visit followed his previous trip in 2015 — both times as the chief guest for Mauritius’s National Day, which falls on March 12. This date holds historical significance as it commemorates Mahatma Gandhi’s historic Dandi March.
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Strategically located in the southern Indian Ocean, Mauritius, along with Madagascar, Comoros, Réunion, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka, forms a critical region where India asserts itself as the leading partner. In earlier times, Mauritius leveraged its relationships with the United States and France, but given India’s increasing strategic alignment with these powers in the Indian Ocean, such manoeuvres are limited. The most significant alternative remains China, a card that Ramgoolam had played during his earlier tenure.
India acknowledges that countries are free to maintain economic relations with China for their development. However, New Delhi expects that such engagements should ensure a level playing field for Indian businesses and must not pose strategic threats, given that the entire IOR is an area of interest for India. Modi’s 2015 announcement of the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine underscores this commitment. Furthermore, Mauritius, as the host of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Secretariat, plays a crucial role in regional cooperation. Now Modi has announced an upgrading of the Mauritius engagement to a comprehensive strategic partnership and enhanced SAGAR to MAHASAGAR, i.e. Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions. Trade for development, capacity building for sustainable growth, and mutual security for a shared future will be increased under this in the region. Mauritius is now bound by IORA, the Indian Ocean Commission and the Colombo Security Conclave as well.
Political dynamics and the need for recalibration
India considers Mauritius a neighbour. Ramgoolam’s party and its coalition partners have historically maintained close ties with India while also exploring other global partnerships. The current Alliance du Changement was announced on October 9, 2024, in preparation for the November 2024 Mauritian general election by Richard Duval, Navin Ramgoolam and Paul Bérenger of the New Democrats (ND), Labour Party (PTr) and Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM) respectively. Over the past decade, however, the government led by Pravind Jugnauth had been more steadfast in prioritising India, resulting in a flourishing bilateral relationship. The unexpected electoral defeat of Jugnauth’s party in November 2024 and Ramgoolam’s return to power with a resounding majority necessitate a recalibration of Indo-Mauritian ties. Modi’s swift visit underscores India’s determination to prevent Mauritius from taking a path similar to the recent geopolitical shifts in the Maldives or Sri Lanka, where India’s influence has been challenged by external players, particularly China.
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Development partnership and economic cooperation
During the Covid-19 pandemic, India extended unwavering support to Mauritius, including flying a critically-ill Navin Ramgoolam to Delhi for medical treatment, which played a role in his recovery and political resurgence. His warm embrace of Modi at the airport could be interpreted as an expression of gratitude and an indication of a potential India-first approach in Mauritius’s foreign policy. Watching the Westernised Ramgoolam dress like Modi and talk of cricket was a visible change.
India has been a generous development partner to Mauritius despite the latter’s relatively higher per capita GDP of $11,600. Over the past decade, India’s development assistance is over $1.1 billion, with $750 million in lines of credit and the remainder in grants. Indian-backed infrastructure and capacity-building projects have left a significant imprint across Mauritius, including the ongoing metro project, the Supreme Court building, the Civil Service College, and the introduction of computers and tablets in schools. These initiatives build on previous projects such as Cyber City, the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture, and the Swami Vivekananda International Convention Centre. A rupee-based line of credit for water drainage systems is a new innovation — it will be serviced by the SBI rather than the Exim Bank.
The growing costs of maintaining diplomatic relations in the modern world means that many countries adopt transactional approaches. However, India has remained steadfast in its support for Mauritius, treating it more like a neighbouring country rather than an African one. Mauritius and Seychelles have been placed under the Indian Ocean Division of India’s Ministry of External Affairs rather than the Africa Division, signifying their strategic importance.
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Defence and strategic collaboration
On the strategic front, India has played a crucial role in developing the Mauritian Coast Guard and continues to enhance its support in response to Mauritius’s growing interest in exploiting its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and blue economy. Previously, Ramgoolam had been reluctant to allow India to develop facilities on Agalega, a remote island strategically located for international shipping. However, under the previous government, collaboration with India led to the construction of a jetty, an airstrip, and related infrastructure, which proved invaluable during cyclone Chido and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts. These facilities now require further augmentation, benefiting Mauritius while not necessarily being viewed as a counter-China strategy.
Modi’s visit to Mauritius went beyond mere ceremony; it was a strategic effort to reinforce India’s dedication to its key maritime partner in the Indian Ocean. As geopolitical landscapes shift, strengthening Indo-Mauritian ties will be crucial. By deepening cooperation in infrastructure, defence, economic growth, and cultural exchange, both nations can fortify their historical connection and build a partnership that benefits both in the long run.
The writer is former Indian ambassador to Germany, Indonesia, Ethiopia, ASEAN and the African Union
