Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Port Louis, Mauritius, on Tuesday, where he was accorded a ceremonial welcome. Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam personally received PM Modi at the airport. Members of the Indian community gathered in large numbers to catch a glimpse of the Indian Prime Minister.
Sharad Barnwal, a member of the Indian diaspora, expressed his excitement, saying, “We are all very excited. We have gathered here since morning. The friendship between India and Mauritius has always been great, and after this visit of PM Modi, the relationship will get stronger.”
Dr. Kadambini Acharya, Director of the Cultural Centre of the High Commissioner of India to Mauritius, highlighted the anticipation surrounding the visit: “We have gathered here to welcome M Modi. We have been preparing to welcome PM Modi for the last 1 month. We will be very happy to meet and welcome him…”
Prime Minister Modi departed for Mauritius late Monday night for a two-day state visit. He will attend the National Day celebrations on March 12 as the Chief Guest. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the visit aims to strengthen “India-Mauritius enduring ties.”
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MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reaffirmed the significance of the visit, stating on X (formerly Twitter): “Strengthening India-Mauritius enduring ties! PM @narendramodi has embarked on a 2-day State visit to Port Louis, Mauritius. PM will participate as the Chief Guest at Mauritius’ National Day Celebrations & also meet Mauritian leadership & dignitaries.”
In his departure statement on Monday, PM Modi emphasized the importance of his engagement with Mauritius’ leadership to further elevate the bilateral partnership and strengthen cooperation for security and development in the Indian Ocean Region.
He described Mauritius as a “close maritime neighbour, key partner in the Indian Ocean and a gateway to the African continent.”
“At the invitation of my friend, Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, I am embarking on a two-day State Visit to Mauritius to participate in the celebrations of the 57th National Day of Mauritius. 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,” PM Modi stated.
He also highlighted the long-standing people-to-people connections between India and Mauritius, saying, “The close and historical people-to-people connect is a source of shared pride. We have made significant strides in the past ten years with people-centric initiatives.”
Expressing confidence in the visit’s success, PM Modi said it would further build on past collaborations and open a new chapter in India-Mauritius relations.
“I look forward to the opportunity to engage 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,” he added.
