In a significant diplomatic move, India has announced a comprehensive economic package for Mauritius, which includes a strategic component granting India a foothold in the Chagos archipelago. The announcement came after a bilateral meeting in Varanasi between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Mauritian counterpart Navinchandra Ramgoolam.
The package, valued at $680 million, includes agreements for the redevelopment of the Port Louis port and the surveillance and development of the Chagos Marine Protected Area. This vast expanse of the Indian Ocean is strategically vital as it is home to the joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia. The agreements will allow India to expand its security and influence in the region.
Speaking after the meeting, PM Modi described the package as "an investment in our shared future," emphasising that Mauritius is family to India. He also announced a new agreement for cooperation in hydrography, which will see both nations conduct joint surveys and create navigation charts for Mauritius' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) over the next five years.
The renewed partnership comes on the heels of a treaty that established Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago, which India had strongly supported. Ramgoolam expressed his appreciation for India's backing, noting that his country's expanded EEZ now requires increased maritime resources and assistance. He also said that Mauritius would prefer to use an Indian vessel to plant its flag on the Chagos Islands, including Diego Garcia, citing the symbolic importance of the gesture. The partnership is a clear sign of India’s growing role as a preferred security partner in the Indian Ocean region.