India and Mauritius: a look at their strategic partnership as a Moda PM attends the Ile National Day | Explain

Last update:March 11, 2025, 23:46 is

Mauritius, an island nation of the Indian Ocean, has geopolitical importance for India which cannot be overestimated in today's world of changing alliances and growing threats

The PM Narendra Modi Modi with its Maurice Country Country State Ramgolam pays tribute to Sir Seoosagur Ramgolam Botanical Garden, in Mauritius on March 11. (Image: PMO via PTI)

Mauritius, an island nation of the Indian Ocean in the east of Madagascar and off the south-eastern coast of Africa, famous for its national day on Wednesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the main guest and has already landed in the country.

The status of celebrity of Modis in Mauritius is unprecedented that 70% of the population draws their roots and its inheritance from India. Not only does that, diplomatic links between the two countries have only reinforced over the past 77 years.

They established diplomatic links 20 years before Mauritius obtained his independence from the United Kingdom. With the same colonial history, there is a shared trauma and understanding that have created a solid basis for the ever -increasing relationship.

The island nation is of geopolitical importance for India which cannot be overestimated in today's world changing alliances and growing threats.

A forged link in a shared struggle

The links between India and Mauritius extend over centuries, rooted in the painful heritage of colonialism. Under French and later British domination, Indian contract workers were brought to Mauritius to work in sugar plantations with many people permanently.

Today, almost 70% of islands 1.2 million inhabitants are of Indian origin, communities retracing their ancestry in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and beyond. The fact that the country chose on March 12 marking the Mahatma Gandhis Dandi March as its national day is a powerful symbol of this shared heritage. It is a reminder that history is not only the past, but the foundation on which this partnership is located.

The shared colonial British exploitation, forced migration and the struggle for independence have created a mutual understanding that goes beyond rhetoric. Mauritius' first Prime Minister Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoalam, worked closely with Indian freedom fighters like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, even raising his book, The Indian Struggle. His son, Navin Ramgoam, now in his third term as PM, continues this inheritance by inviting Modi as a main guest for national day, it is a signal of trust.

India has sailed in the country's complex political landscape with finesse, now solid links, it doesn't matter who is in power. It is rare in today's world, where alliances can change overnight.

Trade and economic links

India is one of Mauritius' largest business partners, and the figures speak for themselves. During the year 2023-2024, India exports to Mauritius reached $ 778.03 million, while Mauritian exports to India were $ 73.10 million with total exchange reaching $ 851.13 million.

In addition, Maurice is the second source of foreign direct investment (IDE) in India after Singapore, thanks to a favorable agreement to avoid double taxation (DTAA) which made it a center for financial flows.

The complete economic cooperation and partnership agreement (CECPA), signed in February 2021, changed the situation for commercial links. It was first of all the agreement with an African nation, and it pays dividends.

Mauritius, with its bilingual population (English and French) and the well -developed financial sector, is a bridge to Africa, in particular French -speaking Africa. With the initiative of the Chinas belt and the road (BRI) making breakthroughs in Africa, India cannot afford to be left behind. Mauritius is the bridge that India needs.

But Maurice does not want to be just a bridge, he has his own needs and ambitions. Navin Ramgoam wants to reduce the debt ratio to the GDP of his country by 83% to 60%, and India is a key ally of this effort.

The support of the India by credit, subsidies and investments helps Maurice to diversify its economy, from sports to health care. For India, this is strategic because a stronger Mauritius means a stronger partner for India in the Indian Ocean region (IOR). And with the economic growth of Chinas, India must double this relationship.

Defense and maritime security

Since 2008, Chinese warships have patrolled by IOR and, since 2017, China has maintained a naval base in Djibouti. To say that the region turns into a complex battlefield in a way will not be an understatement.

Mauritius, with its strategic location and its large exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 2.3 million kilometers, is essential to India maritime security. This can even be akin to a sentry that India cannot afford to lose.

India investments in Mauritius' maritime infrastructure is partly a direct response to the expansive economic assault in Chinas in Africa and even in Mauritius, with anti-Indian demonstrations, perhaps fed by Beijing in 2020. Former Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth rejected these complaints, but optics were damaged.

AGALGA, located 1,100 km north of Mauritius, is closer to the southern coast of Indias and is at the crossroads of key sea roads. It is a front line asset in the fight against hacking, drug trafficking and illegal fishing all the threats that the presence of Chinas exacerbates.

When India, therefore, helped update the landing track and the Agalga pier inaugurated in February 2024, it was completely logical. These installations allow India to park larger planes like the P-8i, previously based on the French reunion island and to improve maritime surveillance.

In addition, the technical agreement on the sharing of information on whites, expected during the visit of Modis, is a step in the right direction, but is it sufficient? India must speed up joint patrols, capacity building and information sharing. China does not wait for us to take movements.

Infrastructure and development: strengthen confidence, influence

Aid to the development of the India in Mauritius is simply astounding. In the past decade, he has injected nearly $ 1.1 billion into the island nation, with $ 729 million in credit and $ 427 million in grants.

Projects like Metro Express, the Civil Service College and the region of the region transform the landscape of Mauritius. These are not only bricks and mortar, developed buildings, for development. These are symbols of India's commitment to Mauritius' progress.

And in a region where Chinese infrastructure projects are often delivered with attached strings, the India approach is a breath of fresh air. In addition, out of the 96 agreements signed in 2022 for small projects focused on people, 51 have already been inaugurated. In addition, India has formed nearly 5,000 Mauritians as part of the Indian technical and economic cooperation program (ITEC) since 2002-2003. We can call it strengthening capacities or improving our soft power, but it works.

The scholarships, cultural exchanges and joint research initiatives have deepened this link. There are approximately 2,316 Indian students who are currently pursuing higher education in Mauritius, studying fields such as medicine, hotel management and commercial studies. About 300 to 400 students come to India in search of higher education.

Chinese red flag

China is the greatest threat to the influence of the India in the IOR, and Mauritius is zero soil. And then there are the Maldives, where the influence of the India reached the bottom of the rocks after the government signed a military assistance agreement with Beijing and asked the Indian forces to leave. Although some problems were resolved, we are still far from the place where we were at the beginning of 2023, which makes Mauritius even more crucial for the indiat strategy.

Chinas Playbook is clear: economic coercion, infrastructure projects and strategic partnerships. Mauritius, with its strategic location and its economic potential, is a privileged target. Anti-Indian demonstrations in 2020, perhaps supported by Beijing, are a brutal reminder of Chinese tactics.

India must counter this story and quickly. Agalga projects are a start, but India must go further. Improved joint naval exercises, information sharing and economic incentives are like the best bet.

For India, it is also much larger than Mauritius. This is the safety of the IOR and the ability to thwart China in its own backyard. The Indias Sagar policy (security and growth for all in the region), announced in Mauritius in 2015, must be put in overdrive. We cannot have other Maldives in our hands. Mauritius is the cornerstone of this strategy, and India must double.

Confidence and endurance

This partnership is essential to India's ambitions in the IOR. Commerce, defense, infrastructure, maritime security Each pillar is important. The historical link is a strategic, clear and simple asset. It gives India a natural ally in the IOR, a region where influence is fiercely disputed.

Mauritius as a partner, with deep connections from people to people, includes the concerns of the India. And with the turning China, this confidence is worth its weight in gold. The question is not to know if history is important, it is how India can take advantage of it to guarantee its future.