Jaishankar departs for Mauritius, UAE on four-day visit to boost strategic ties
External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar departed for a four-day visit to Mauritius and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday aimed at strengthening bilateral engagement, expanding development cooperation and discussing key regional issues.
In the first leg of the visit from April 9 to 10, Jaishankar will travel to Mauritius to attend the 9th Indian Ocean Conference , where he is scheduled to deliver the keynote address and meet the country’s leadership to review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations , according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
On the sidelines of the conference, the minister is expected to hold meetings with foreign ministers and senior officials from participating nations to discuss maritime security, economic cooperation, environmental sustainability and regional geopolitics in the Indian Ocean region.
India and Mauritius are also expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding enabling financial assistance under a Special Economic Package worth about USD 655 million for development projects in the island nation.
The proposed assistance includes infrastructure and social sector initiatives such as a national hospital, an Ayurvedic Centre of Excellence, a veterinary school and animal hospital , and the supply of helicopters for emergency response and maritime surveillance .
Funding is also expected for infrastructure projects including a new air traffic control tower at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport , the Motorway M4 project , Ring Road Phase II and port equipment procurement to strengthen logistics and connectivity in Mauritius.
The conference, organised by India Foundation with the Mauritian government, will bring together ministers and senior officials from several countries in the Indian Ocean region.
The Ministry of External Affairs said the visit underscores India’s Neighbourhood First policy , its vision MAHASAGAR , and its continued engagement with the Global South .
The MAHASAGAR initiative, “Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions” , was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Mauritius last year.
In the second leg of the tour, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar will travel to the United Arab Emirates from April 11 to 12 to review bilateral cooperation and deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership .
The evolving West Asia situation is also expected to feature in his discussions with the UAE leadership.