Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a two-day state visit to Mauritius from Tuesday. Briefing media in New Delhi this evening, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said this is the first visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2015. He said India’s relations with Mauritius are rooted in shared history, culture, and very strong and robust people-to-people ties that go back several centuries. Mr. Misri said, Mauritius is one of India’s key partners in the Indian Ocean and a close maritime neighbour. He said it was in Mauritius in 2015 that the Prime Minister articulated the vision SAGAR, Security and Growth for All in the Region, which underscored India’s commitment to the Indian Ocean Region.

The Foreign Secretary said, India has a strong development partnership with Mauritius. He said the relationship between both nations has deepened significantly in the last ten years. Mr Misri said, the visit will enable both sides to take stock of bilateral ties. He said, “One of the highlights of the visit is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited as the chief guest at the National Day celebrations of Mauritius.

The Foreign Secretary said a contingent of Indian Defence Forces, a ship of the Indian Navy, and the Indian Air Force Akash Ganga skydiving contingent would participate in Mauritius National Day. He said the prime minister will arrive in Port Louis early in the morning on Tuesday. Mr. Misri said PM Modi will receive a ceremonial welcome upon arrival. He said Mr. Modi will visit the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden to pay homage to Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, the former Prime Minister and founding father of Mauritius, as well as Sir Anerood Jugnauth, former President and Prime Minister of Mauritius.

The Foreign Secretary said, during the visit, Prime Minister Modi will call on the President of Mauritius, Dharambeer Gokhool, meet the Prime Minister, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, and hold meetings with senior dignitaries and leaders of political parties in Mauritius. He said the Prime Minister will also interact with the members of the Indian-origin community and inaugurate the Civil Service College and the Area Health Centre, both built with India’s grant assistance. A number of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) will be exchanged during the visit.