‘Special economic package operationalised’: Indian Envoy Srivastava on EAM Jaishankar’s key Mauritius visit

India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has wrapped up his visit to Mauritius, yielding tangible results in health, infrastructure, education and green transport that underscore the deepening ties between the two nations.

The two-day trip, which coincided with the 9th Indian Ocean Conference in Port Louis, saw several key agreements and inaugurations that build on a $680 million special economic package announced last September during Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam's visit to India.

Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, India's High Commissioner to Mauritius, Anurag Srivastava, described the visit as highly substantive. “External Affairs Minister, Dr Jaishankar, just concluded a very good visit to Mauritius. It was a substantive visit in terms of outcomes,” he said.

Mr Srivastava highlighted progress across multiple sectors: “There were outcomes in the area of health, education, capacity building, infrastructure, and most importantly, it took forward a lot of announcements that have been made in the relations in the last one year. There have been remarkable progress in relations in the last one year.”

A central achievement was the operationalisation of the special economic package through an exchange of letters. “The special economic package that was announced for Mauritius during the visit of Prime Minister, Dr Navin Ramgoolam to India in September was operationalized through an exchange of letters during EAM's visit,” the High Commissioner noted.

In capacity building, Mauritius became the first country outside India to launch a dedicated gateway to New Delhi’s iGOT Karmayogi programme, which trains civil servants. “We also had other outcomes in the area of capacity building, particularly the iGOT Karmayogi program, which is a unique program for training of Indian civil servants, was launched in Mauritius. And Mauritius become the first country to have this kind of gateway into the karma yogi program,” Mr Srivastava said.

On the health front, Dr Jaishankar inaugurated a new renal transplant unit at Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, a significant step for kidney patients in the island nation. India also delivered the final batch of 90 electric buses as part of efforts to promote sustainable mobility.

“We also handed over the last lot of 90 electric buses, which is a commitment of both countries towards a green and sustainable future,” the High Commissioner added.

Mr Srivastava emphasised the unique character of the bilateral relationship, rooted in shared history and people-to-people links. “This is a relationship which is a time tested partnership, and this is a relationship which has, in its basis, a very shared history, a shared culture, shared kinship with India,” he said.

He recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s description of the ties: “It is a relationship between family members, as Mr. Modi put it when he came here, that Mauritius is not just a partner country. It is family to us.”

The enhanced Strategic Partnership announced during PM Modi’s visit to Mauritius last year, Mr Srivastava added, “serves as a blueprint for the future of this partnership, and we are committed to take forward all elements of this partnership.”