Mauritius Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful on Friday, 24 July credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with placing Mauritius at the heart of India's diplomatic priorities, pointing to a USD 680 million special economic package and a string of landmark infrastructure projects as evidence of deepening bilateral ties. Speaking from Port Louis, Ramful described both the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) frameworks as defining pillars of the relationship under Modi's leadership.

Two Landmark Visits, Two Strategic Visions

Ramful noted that Modi has visited Mauritius on two occasions — in 2015 and again in 2025 — each time launching a major regional initiative. The SAGAR vision was unveiled during the first visit, while the MAHASAGAR framework followed in 2025, broadening the scope of India's Indian Ocean strategy to encompass a wider set of security and development goals.

'Mauritius has remained at the centre of India's diplomatic policy during Prime Minister Modi's tenure,' Ramful said. 'On both occasions, he had launched two landmark initiatives: SAGAR and MAHASAGAR Vision.'

Infrastructure Projects Reshaping Mauritius

Ramful highlighted an 'unprecedented' volume of Indian-financed infrastructure projects delivered under Modi's watch. These include the ENT Hospital, the Metro Express, the Supreme Court Building, and the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute. The most recent milestone came during Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam's State Visit to India in September 2024, when New Delhi announced a Special Economic Package (SEP) worth USD 680 million in grants and concessional lines of credit, including USD 25 million in direct budgetary assistance.

Key projects under the SEP include the New Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam National Hospital, an AYUSH Centre of Excellence, a Veterinary School, an Animal Hospital, provision of helicopters, completion of a new ATC tower at SSR International Airport, and development of Motorway M4 and Ring Road Phase II.

Modi's Popularity and Civilian Honour in Mauritius

During his 2025 visit as Chief Guest at Mauritius's National Day celebrations, Modi received a public reception that Ramful described as warm and enthusiastic. The Indian Prime Minister was conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean — Mauritius's highest civilian honour — underscoring the personal goodwill his leadership has generated on the island.

Cultural Diplomacy and the Indian Diaspora

Ramful emphasised that the bilateral relationship is rooted in over two centuries of shared history, with ancestors of a large segment of the Mauritian population having migrated from various parts of India. He pointed to the continued use of Bhojpuri as a widely spoken language in Mauritius as testimony to the endurance of that cultural heritage.

Institutions such as the Mahatma Gandhi Institute have been credited with sustaining Indian cultural practices on the island. Ramful also highlighted the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card scheme — extended to seventh-generation Indian descendants — as a forward-looking initiative to preserve diaspora heritage. 'These values, these cultures, and the language that they speak have stood the test of time,' he said.

As India deepens its Indian Ocean outreach, Mauritius's centrality to that strategy — and the scale of investment underpinning it — signals that bilateral ties are likely to grow further in the years ahead.