Port Louis, Mauritius – March 12, 2025 In a landmark visit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Mauritian counterpart inaugurated a series of transformative projects and signed multiple agreements, deepening the historic partnership between the two nations. The visit, marked by the unveiling of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation and a new health center in Cap Malheureux, underscored a shared commitment to development, trade, and maritime security.Among the highlights was an agreement between the Reserve Bank of India and the Bank of Mauritius to promote the use of local currencies—Indian Rupees (INR) and Mauritian Rupees (MUR)—for cross-border transactions. This move aims to boost trade by establishing an INR clearing center in Mauritius and extending its reach to COMESA countries. Additionally, the State Bank of India extended a INR 487.6 crore line of credit to fund Mauritius’ ambitious Water Pipeline Replacement Project, addressing critical infrastructure needs.
The leaders also oversaw the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) spanning diverse sectors. A key MoU between India’s Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Mauritius’ SME division will foster cooperation through capacity building, expert exchanges, and exhibitions. Another agreement will see 500 Mauritian civil servants trained over five years at India’s National Centre for Good Governance, enhancing administrative expertise.
Maritime collaboration took center stage with a technical agreement between the Indian Navy and Mauritius Police Force for real-time sharing of white shipping information, bolstering regional security. Furthering ocean research, an MoU between the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services and Mauritius’ Prime Minister’s Office will support ocean modeling and capacity building.
On the ground, the leaders inaugurated 20 High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs ), part of India’s USD 75 crore grant for 96 community initiatives across Mauritius. These include playgrounds, health tracks, and soccer pitches, such as a synthetic football pitch in Trèfles and a mini soccer pitch in Baie du Tombeau. The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute, funded by a USD 4.74 million grant, will serve as a hub for training Mauritian civil servants and advancing governance research.
In a symbolic handover, India presented a navigational chart of St Brandon Island, prepared by the Indian Navy, reinforcing maritime ties. PM Modi also announced India’s support for a new Parliament Building in Mauritius and the second phase of HICDPs, signaling continued investment in the partnership.
The total value of the inaugurated projects stands at MUR 35.2 million (INR 6.63 crore), reflecting a blend of small-scale community upliftment and large-scale strategic cooperation. From combating financial crimes through an Enforcement Directorate-Financial Crimes Commission MoU to enhancing diplomatic training, the visit cemented India and Mauritius as key allies in the Indian Ocean region.