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As China accelerates its footprint in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) through dual-use ports and expanding naval presence, India hosts the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, for a week-long state visit from September 9 to 16. The visit, Ramgoolam’s first official bilateral trip since returning to office, signals a decisive moment in India’s effort to strengthen maritime partnerships at a time of intensifying great-power rivalry.
A Visit with Strategic Weight
The Ramgoolam visit is more than symbolic diplomacy – it reflects India’s intent to consolidate its role as the security provider of choice for its immediate maritime neighbourhood. By aligning the agenda around defence cooperation, maritime security, and the wider IOR strategy under SAGAR and MAHASAGAR doctrines, India is showcasing a proactive approach to preserving stability and countering China’s expanding leverage in the western Indian Ocean.
Mauritius: India’s Western Maritime Anchor
Mauritius occupies a pivotal position astride critical sea lanes of communication, giving it immense geostrategic value. For India, the island nation serves not just as a trusted political partner but also as a logistical and operational node in a region under mounting strategic competition. With China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects and naval forays edging closer to Africa’s eastern seaboard, India’s ties with Mauritius have become a cornerstone of its counterbalance strategy.
During the visit, both sides are expected to enhance their collaboration in several key areas:
- Joint Maritime Surveillance and Hydrographic Mapping: Focusing on these elements is crucial for securing Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and effectively managing marine resources and territorial waters.
- Utilisation of Agalega Infrastructure: Improved use of Agalega’s infrastructure can significantly enhance maritime logistics, leading to more efficient operations in the region.
- National Maritime Information Sharing Centre: The establishment of this centre will foster better collaboration and information exchange among all stakeholders.
- Maritime Security Measures: The deployment of Indian defence assets and platforms is essential to ensure a strong presence in the waters, further strengthening maritime security.
These steps will enhance maritime domain awareness, operational readiness, and reinforce a rules-based order in the IOR.
Defence Cooperation: From Assistance to Strategic Convergence
India’s defence partnership with Mauritius has evolved from capacity-building support to a broader strategic framework. India has been central in upgrading Mauritius’s coast guard, supplying patrol vessels, aircraft, and training expertise. The visit is expected to cement new commitments for joint patrols, intelligence sharing, and tackling non-traditional threats such as piracy, trafficking, and illegal fishing – securing not just Mauritius’s EEZ but also India’s wider western flank in the Indian Ocean.
Development Partnership: Neighbourhood First Meets Global South
The visit will also showcase the civilisational depth and development dimension of India–Mauritius ties. From digital transformation and social housing to energy and healthcare, India’s assistance has underpinned Mauritius’s developmental trajectory. New agreements are expected in green mobility, water security, and digital public infrastructure, underlining India’s model of partnership rooted in mutual growth rather than dependency.
IOR: India’s Expanding Strategic Horizon
The timing of the visit is crucial. As the Indian Ocean becomes the cockpit of 21st-century maritime competition, Ramgoolam’s trip reflects how New Delhi is positioning itself, balancing security imperatives with developmental partnerships. Under MAHASAGAR, India seeks to transform its maritime outreach into a durable network of trust, resilience, and sustainability, with Mauritius as a key anchor.
Huma Siddiqui
Dr Ravi Shankar has over two decades of experience in communications, print journalism, electronic media, documentary film making and new media.
He makes regular appearances on national television news channels as a commentator and analyst on current and political affairs. Apart from being an acknowledged Journalist, he has been a passionate newsroom manager bringing a wide range of journalistic experience from past associations with India’s leading media conglomerates (Times of India group and India Today group) and had led global news-gathering operations at world’s biggest multimedia news agency- ANI-Reuters. He has covered Parliament extensively over the past several years. Widely traveled, he has covered several summits as part of media delegation accompanying the Indian President, Vice President, Prime Minister, External Affairs Minister and Finance Minister across Asia, Africa and Europe.
