New Delhi, Mar 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that he is looking forward to engaging with the Mauritius leadership to elevate the partnership between the two countries in all its facets during his two-day State Visit to the Indian Ocean archipelago, beginning early Tuesday morning.

"Mauritius is a close maritime neighbour, a key partner in the Indian Ocean, and a gateway to the African Continent. We are connected by history, geography and culture. Deep mutual trust, a shared belief in the values of democracy, and celebration of our diversity are our strengths. The close and historical people-to-people connect is a source of shared pride. We have made significant strides in the past 10 years with people centric initiatives," PM Modi said in his departure statement.

PM Modi will be in Mauritius at the invitation of country's Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam to attend the country's National Day celebrations as the Chief Guest on Wednesday.

"I look forward to the opportunity to engage with the Mauritius leadership to elevate our partnership in all its facets and strengthen our enduring friendship for the progress and prosperity of our peoples, as well as for security and development in the Indian Ocean Region, as part of our Vision SAGAR," said PM Modi.

"I am confident that this visit will build on the foundations of the past and open a new and bright chapter in the India and Mauritius relationship," he added.

The unique and special India-Mauritius relationship, that has deepened significantly over the last 10 years, is set to consolidate further during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Port Louis.

A contingent of Indian defence forces will also participate in the celebrations along with a ship from the Indian Navy.

This is PM Modi's first visit to Mauritius since 2015 when he had outlined India's Vision SAGAR - Security and growth for All in the Region - which along with 'Neighbourhood First' policy, 'Act East' policy, 'Think West' policy and 'Connect Central Asia' policy continues to guide New Delhi's approach to the neighbourhood and beyond while strengthening historical and civilizational ties at the same time.

"We seek a future for the Indian Ocean that lives up to the name of SAGAR – Security and Growth for All in the Region. We should be inspired by the Monsoon, which nurtures and connects us all in the region. We will strive to unite our region in partnership, as we were once in geography. An Ocean that connects our world should become the pathway of peace and prosperity for all," PM Modi had said at the Commissioning of Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Barracuda - the first export warship to be built and delivered by an Indian shipyard - in Mauritius on March 12, 2015.

"It is no coincidence that I speak of our hopes for the Indian Ocean Region in Mauritius. Our partnership with Mauritius is among our strongest maritime relationships in the world, Our partnership will grow. We will together build our capabilities. We will also train and patrol the seas together," PM Modi had said in his remarks then during the landmark visit.

PM Modi's current visit is expected to further strengthen the robust collaboration across sectors and will contribute in further enhancing the bilateral cooperation in the areas such as development partnership, capacity building, maritime safety and security, health, small and medium enterprises, robust financial and trade connectivity, in addition to reinforcing the existing people-to-people ties.

Having taken the maritime security cooperation to a new high since then, it is only befitting that an Indian Naval Ship is also making a port call at Port Louis to celebrate the occasion on Wednesday. A marching contingent from the Indian Navy along with an Indian Navy helicopter, Akash Ganga Skydiving Team from the Indian Air force and a team of NCC cadets will also participate in National Day celebrations this time.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has already detailed that both countries will be signing a technical agreement on sharing white-shipping information between the Indian Navy and Mauritius authorities which will further enhance maritime security of Mauritius, safety of its trading corridors, and enhance regional cooperation in real-time sharing of data. It will also enable authorities from both countries to cooperate in preventing illegal activities and improve Mauritius' maritime domain awareness in the region.

"This will involve not just the Indian Navy, but also the Mauritius police force in an effort to combat these kinds of activities. There is an allied MoU that will be signed between the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) with the Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Prime Minister's Office from the Mauritius side, which also establishes a comprehensive framework for cooperation on ocean observation, research and information management, and enhancing maritime zone management in Mauritius," Misri said last week.

--IANS

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