INDIA-MAURITIUS RELATIONS

-

 



INDIA-MAURITIUS RELATIONS

WHY IN NEWS?

India and Mauritius held the 1st session of India-Mauritius High-Powered Joint Trade Committee.

IMPORTANCE:

In recent years, India has stepped up its engagement with Africa. Mauritius is an important partner among the Indian Ocean littoral countries in the region and its relationship with the island country s very significant for India.

India and Mauritius are connected by shared history and connections between India and Mauritius date back to 1730. The diplomatic relations were established in 1948 before Mauritius became an independent state (1968). Also, almost 68 percent of the population of the country is of Indian origin. External Affairs Minister (EAM), S. Jaishankar’s visit to the island country in February 2021 has further strengthened the partnership across the economic, health, and security spheres.

Mauritius is a significant partner of India in celebrating Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas which is a forum for issues concerning the Indian diaspora and adds to the importance of India-Mauritius relations.

India-Mauritius Trade pact


A watershed free trade pact, the ‘Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement’ (CECPA) was signed during the EAM’s visit.

This is the first of its kind agreement that India has signed with any country in Africa. The treaty was under negotiation since 2005.

The CECPA will have a tremendous economic impact, as it will cut or eliminate duties on the majority of goods as well as liberalize norms to promote services trade.

India-Mauritius health cooperation

The growth of cooperation between the two countries in the field of health, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has been significant.

The EAM handed over a consignment of 100,000 doses of Made-in-India COVID-19 vaccines to Mauritius. This was in addition to 100,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines that India had gifted to Mauritius earlier.

Apart from the vaccines, India supplied 23 tonnes of essential medicines, half a million tablets of hydroxychloroquine, as well as a consignment of Ayurvedic medicines.

A 14-member Medical Assistance Team, under the Indian Navy’s ‘Mission SAGAR’ initiative, also visited the country.

India has assisted in the development of the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital and the Subramania Bharati Eye Centre in the country.

Defence and Security cooperation

India and Mauritius signed two agreements in the security realm:

1.    The first agreement relates to the transfer of a Dornier aircraft and an Advanced Light Helicopter, Dhruv, on lease to Mauritius. These platforms will go a long way in helping the country monitor its extensive maritime zone.

2.    The second agreement relates to a $100 million Line of Credit (LoC), to enable the procurement of defence equipment by Mauritius.

India has extended support to Mauritius in enhancing its coastal surveillance capabilities by setting up the Coastal Surveillance Radar System (CSRS), in 2011.

India’s defence cooperation with Mauritius benefits both countries. The CSRS network enhances the country’s Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) in the Indian Ocean region.

Mauritius can adds to its capabilities by engaging with professionals from the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard and by procuring Indian defence equipment at attractive financial terms.

Infrastructure development


In May 2016, India had extended a grant of USD 353 mn to Mauritius as Special Economic Package (SEP) to execute five priority projects identified by Mauritius, among others:

1.    Metro Express Project

2.    Supreme court building

3.    New ENT Hospital

4.    Supply of Digital Tablets to Primary School Children

5.    Social Housing Project.

With the inauguration of the Social Housing Project, all the high-profile projects under the SEP have been implemented.

Another project is the construction of a State-of-the-Art Civil Service College that will provide a fully equipped and functional facility for the civil servants of Mauritius to undertake various training and skill development programs.

An 8 MW Solar PV Farm will be constructed that involves the installation of 25,000 PV cells to generate approximately 14 GWh of green energy annually, to electrify approximately 10,000 Mauritian households.

It will help mitigate the climate challenges that Mauritius faces through the avoidance of 13,000 tons of CO2 emissions.

This is in line with the One sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) initiative by India.

Importance of India- Mauritius relations

GEO-STRATEGIC:

The renewed contestation of the Indian Ocean region has increased the strategic importance of Indian Ocean Region islands for India.

India’s Indian ocean strategic vision is called SAGAR (Security and growth for all in the region). This vision called for deepening economic and security cooperation with India’s maritime neighbours.

In 2015, India and Mauritius signed an agreement that allows India to develop infrastructure in terms of establishing military bases on the Mauritian islands.

SOURCE: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1848300

To Download PDF - Click Here

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

अंतिम ऊँचाई by Kunwar Narayan

-
  अंतिम ऊँचाई   कितना स्पष्ट होता आगे बढ़ते जाने का मतलब अगर दसों दिशाएँ हमारे सामने होतीं ,                 हमारे चारों ओर नहीं। कितना आसान होता चलते चले जाना यदि केवल हम चलते होते                बाक़ी सब रुका होता।   मैंने अक्सर इस ऊलजलूल दुनिया को दस सिरों से सोचने और बीस हाथों से पाने की कोशिश में अपने लिए बेहद मुश्किल बना लिया है।   शुरू - शुरू में सब यही चाहते हैं कि सब कुछ शुरू से शुरू हो , लेकिन अंत तक पहुँचते - पहुँचते हिम्मत हार जाते हैं। हमें कोई दिलचस्पी नहीं रहती कि वह सब कैसे समाप्त होता है जो इतनी धूमधाम से शुरू हुआ था                हमारे चाहने पर।   दुर्गम वनों और ऊँचे पर्वतों को जीतते हुए जब तुम अंतिम...
Read more

समुद्र की मछली by Kunwar Narayan

-
  समुद्र की मछली   बस वहीं से लौट आया हूँ हमेशा अपने को अधूरा छोड़कर जहाँ झूठ है , अन्याय है , कायरता है , मूर्खता है — प्रत्येक वाक्य को बीच ही में तोड़ - मरोड़कर , प्रत्येक शब्द को अकेला छोड़कर , वापस अपनी ही बेमुरौव्वत पीड़ा के एकांगी अनुशासन में किसी तरह पुनः आरंभ होने के लिए।   अख़बारी अक्षरों के बीच छपे अनेक चेहरों में एक फ़र्क चेहरा अपराधी की तरह पकड़ा जाता रहा बार - बार अद्भुत कुछ जीने की चोर - कोशिश में :   लेकिन हर सज़ा के बाद वह कुछ और पोढ़ा होता गया , वहीं से उगता रहा जहाँ से तोड़ा गया , उसी बेरहम दुनिया की गड़बड़ रौनक़ में गुँजाइश ढूँढ़ता रहा बेहयाई से जीने की। किसी तरह बची उम्र खींचकर दोहरा ले एक से दो और दो से कई गुना , या फिर घेरकर अपने को किसी नए विस्तार से इतना छोटा कर ले जैसे मछली और इस तरह शुरू हो फिर कोई दूसरा समुद्र ..
Read more

CENTRAL VIGILANCE COMMISSION

-
Image
CENTRAL VIGILANCE COMMISSION WHY IN NEWS? The President of India has appointed Mr Suresh N. Patel as the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) . Mr Patel was a former managing director and chief executive officer of Andhra Bank. In April 2020, he was appointed as the vigilance commissioner. His selection was approved by a panel headed by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition (LoP).   IMPORTANCE: ·        The Indian government introduced the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) in the year 1964 . The commission was set up on the recommendation of K. Santhanam Committee on Prevention of Corruption.   ·        It was originally introduced through an executive resolution. ·        The Central Vigilance Committee’s role is to advise and guide the Central Government in the field of surveillance. ·        The Central Vigilance Commissio...
Read more