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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has arrived in Port Louis, Mauritius, to participate in the 9th Indian Ocean Conference and to further strengthen the deep-rooted bilateral ties between the two nations.
Upon his arrival, the External Affairs Minister was received by the Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade Minister of Mauritius, Dhananjay Ramful. Acknowledging the hospitality, Jaishankar shared his greeting in a post on X, stating, "Bonzour Moris! Arrived in Port Louis today." https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/2042227450432938045?s=20 He further extended his gratitude to the Mauritian leadership, noting, "Thank my Mauritian counterpart FM @RitishRamful for the warm welcome." The visit is expected to involve a series of high-level discussions aimed at bolstering regional security and economic cooperation. Emphasising the goal of his visit, Jaishankar added that he is to "look forward to productive engagements to advance our Enhanced Strategic Partnership." In addition to bilateral meetings, the External Affairs Minister's schedule includes significant multilateral engagement, as he "will also be participating in the 9th Indian Ocean Conference," a key platform for discussing maritime safety and regional stability. This arrival marks the commencement of a four-day official tour that will see the minister visiting both Mauritius and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The trip, which began this Thursday, is designed to explore new avenues for strengthening India's bilateral relations with these key partners. Focusing on the first leg of the journey in Mauritius from April 9 to 10, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that Jaishankar will engage with the local leadership to "review the entire spectrum of bilateral ties." Providing context to the diplomatic mission, the MEA noted that "the visit underscores India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy, vision MAHASAGAR, and commitment to the Global South." This strategic framework, particularly "MAHASAGAR", or "Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions", was first introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Mauritius in March last year. Once the engagements in the island nation conclude, the External Affairs Minister will proceed to the United Arab Emirates for the second leg of his tour, scheduled for April 11 to 12. In the UAE, the MEA stated that Jaishankar will meet with the Emirati leadership to "review close cooperation and deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership" between the two countries. These high-level meetings are also expected to address regional stability, as the prevailing "West Asia situation" remains a priority on the diplomatic agenda. (ANI)
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