Foreign Minister Dr S Jaishankar to visit Sri Lanka and Mauritius in June

Continuing the robust outreach to Indian Ocean neighbours, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar is expected to visit Sri Lanka and Mauritius this month. While his visit to Sri Lanka is expected to take place in the coming week, his trip to Mauritius is likely scheduled for later this month.

The visit to Sri Lanka will be a standalone one, around 20th June, marking Dr. Jaishankar's first bilateral visit after assuming charge as External Affairs minister for the 2nd consecutive term. Last week, he visited Italy, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the G7 summit but that was in the multilateral context.

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India's support to Sri Lanka has been substantial, amounting to nearly $4 billion, surpassing the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) bailout package. Delhi has also supported key talks with the IMF for the bailout package. India has also been instrumental in bolstering Sri Lanka's power sector, tourism, and infrastructure.

In Mauritius, the ties are equally significant. The two countries have signed numerous agreements to enhance trade and cooperation, including the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) in 2021. Additionally, India has extended a $100 million Defense Line of Credit to Mauritius.The strong relationship is further cemented by the fact that a large portion of Mauritius' population is of Indian origin, forming a key cultural and historical bridge between the two nations.

During Prime Minister Modi's oath-taking ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan on 9th June, notable attendees included Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth along with leaders from the western arch of the Indian Ocean to the Himalayas.The invitation to the 7 countries--Mauritius, Seychelles, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal--showed India's continued emphasis on neighbourhood first policy and Indian Ocean outreach.

This year, India has launched the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services in both Sri Lanka and Mauritius, strengthening digital connectivity and financial collaboration.This initiative benefits travellers and enhances financial integration, marking a significant step in India's efforts to share its digital public infrastructure and fintech innovations with partner countries. Additionally, the introduction of RuPay card services in Mauritius enables local banks to issue cards based on the RuPay mechanism, facilitating settlements in both India and Mauritius.

(With inputs from agencies)