Ahead of India-AI Impact Summit, Mauritius lauds India's tech leadership, calls participation a "privilege"

Speaking to ANI, Jeetun said Mauritius considers itself "very privileged" to be part of what she described as the next phase of global technological development.

She said Mauritian Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam will attend the summit in New Delhi next week. "India is known for a strong technology-driven economy. It has had one of the strongest USPs in technology for decades. You just have to look at the CEOs of global technology companies -- many of them are of Indian origin. So, India is already a leader in this area. It is very natural that India is also taking the lead on AI," she said.

Jeetun added that, as countries of the Global South, both India and Mauritius see value in collaborating in emerging technologies. "Given that India is part of the Global South, we from the South consider ourselves very privileged to be part of this exciting story that is going to unfold in the next phase of technological development in the world," she said.

Highlighting the deep-rooted ties between the two countries, Jeetun said relations go back centuries, with a large majority of Mauritius' population tracing its origins to different parts of India. "We have very deep cultural and linguistic roots. Among them, very famously, are our festivals -- one of them is taking place right now, Mahashivratri, where nearly half the people of the country walk or go on pilgrimage to Ganga Talao," she said.

She noted that economic ties have strengthened over the decades, particularly in financial services. "Mauritius has developed its financial services centre over three decades and has been one of the strongest FDI drivers to India. The ecosystem has developed tremendously through investments in India," she said.

Jeetun also pointed to expanding cooperation in areas such as fintech, energy and maritime security, while underlining the potential of Mauritius as a gateway to Africa for Indian businesses. "Mauritius is a member of the African Union, COMESA and SADC. Africa has strong demography and a growing economy. Last year, out of the 25 fastest-growing countries in the world, 15 were from Africa. That creates opportunities for Indian businesses to expand. Mauritius can provide the ecosystem, stability and route as a gateway to Africa," she said.

India is hosting the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi from February 16 to 20, anchored around three themes -- People, Planet and Progress. The summit is expected to bring together global leaders, policymakers and experts to deliberate on the future of AI.

At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leaders from 20 countries, including Mauritius, France, Brazil, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, the Netherlands and the UAE, are scheduled to attend. Ministerial delegations from over 45 countries, along with the UN Secretary-General and senior officials from international organisations, are also expected to participate. (ANI)