Mauritius An Important Component of Priorities under India's Neighborhood First Policy: FS Kwatra

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra has said India-Mauritius relations are special and historically unique. The Foreign Secretary briefed reporters on President Droupadi Murmu's visit to Mauritius.

New Delhi: Hailing India's ties with Mauritius, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Wednesday said that India-Mauritius relations are special and historically unique.

Addressing the special media briefing on President Droupadi Murmu's visit to Mauritius, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said, "Mauritius is one of the very important components of our priorities under India's Neighborhood First policy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision 'SAGAR', as also India's priority focus on Africa. There is also frequent and regular political engagement between two countries."

"To recapture an essence of strength and substance in India-Mauritius ties, our relationship with Mauritius is special and historically unique. Getting back to pre-independence years, centuries-old people-to-people ties and continued cultural interaction form a very strong basis and foundation of this very special relationship," added Kwatra.

He noted that regular, high-level political engagements also that take place between the leaders of India and Mauritius.

"Mauritius in a sense lies at the convergence of these three major policy pillars that the Government of India follows. There are also very regular, frequent, and intense high-level political engagements between the leaders of the countries - our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth have interacted five times just in the last six months", Kwatra added.

He said that the visit of the President to Mauritius reflects the growing expanse of a long-standing and trusted partnership between India and Mauritius.

The visit reinforces the continuing positive momentum and trends in our relationship, and it also signals our shared and strong commitment to further intensify our relations with this important partner, he added.

President Murmu, who is on a three-day state visit to Mauritius, arrived in Mauritius on Monday. Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth welcomed President Murmu at the airport with full honors.