India, Mauritius improves strategic links with the eye on China

India and Mauritius have improved their links, say that leaders of the two countries, according to analysts, aim to increase the influence of New Delhis in the Indian Ocean while he seeks to counter the growing imprint in the region.

The announcement of the improved links occurred during a two -day visit to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Maurice, an island nation which is along the vital sea routes in the Western Indian Ocean.

Modi, who was invited to chief the celebrations of the National Day of Mauritius on Wednesday, said that countries had high links with the status of an improved strategic partnership.

Following discussions with Maurice Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgolam, the two leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to a free, safe and open Indian Ocean.

Mauritius has conferred the highest civil honor to Modi, and the Prime Ministers have signed eight pacts to stimulate cooperation in several sectors, including maritime security.

Modi has announced that New Delhi would invest around $ 11 million in several community development projects and that India will cooperate in the construction of a new parliament for Mauritius, calling it a gift from the mother of democracy.

China trade with Mauritius increasing

While India has long had good relations with Mauritius, where 70% of the population is of Indian origin, analysts declared that the visit of Modis had come in the middle of a recognition that India needs to intensify its commitment with a country which is called the gateway to the Western Indian Ocean and Africa, and where the presence of Beijing has grown.

The rise in China on the island was quite phenomenal and it is now one of Mauritius' most important economic actors, according to Harsh Pant, vice-president of studies to observe it Research Foundation of New Delhi. Thus, to compensate for this, it is necessary that India has a constant commitment with Mauritius and helps them strengthen capacities in fields such as health, education and maritime capacities to demonstrate that it can help to take up such challenges. “”

In 2019, China signed a free trade agreement with Maurice which entered into force in 2021. A page for Mauritius on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chinas This describes relations indicates that the two have a strategic partnership. Bilateral trade between the two countries reached $ 1.1 billion, an increase of 10.1% compared to the previous year, according to the website.

While the region becomes a hot spot for geopolitical competition, India and China have intensified efforts to establish links with the countries of the Indian Ocean.

Emphasizing the Indian naval cooperation with Mauritius, a contingent of the Indian navy participated in the parade of the national day and in an Indian warship IS IMPHALA furtive mid-mm destroyer visited the capital, Port Louis.

Last year, India helped Mauritius build an landing trail and a pier in Agalega two tiny islands covering 25 square kilometers located north of the main island. Although Mauritius said that the facilities are not intended for military use, they give India a foot to monitor traffic in the Western Indian Ocean, according to analysts.

India Construction of the logistics infrastructure on the island of Agalega underlines both sustainable Mauritiussus a geopolitical meaning in the Indian Ocean and the Maritime Entreures of Delhis in regional security, wrote C. Raja Mohan in the Indian Express newspaper.

India supports the transfer of Chagos

Indian officials also said that New Delhi would support an agreement planned between Great Britain and Mauritius to submit control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius which is finalized. One of the islands of the archipelago, Diego Garcia, has housed a joint military base in the United Kingdom since the 1970s. to have have reported that Great Britain will give in the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands and will rent Diego Garcia de Maurice to allow the military base to stay.

We support Maurice in his position on his sovereignty on Chagos, and this is obviously in accordance with our long -standing position with regard to decolonization and support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries, said the Indian Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Vikram Misri, while announcing plans that Modifs will soon also visit the Maldives.

Although civil servants have made no comments, analysts emphasize that India supports the continuation of the military base in Diego Garcia. Last month, US President Donald Trump said he was inclined to conclude the agreement between Mauritius and Great Britain on the future of the base.

From New Delhis's point of view, this helps if there is an American presence there because it balances the strategic realities of the region, said Pant.