Port Louis: President Droupadi Murmu, during her three-day visit to Mauritius, held a tete-a-tete meeting with Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jagnauth on Monday to discuss ways to further strengthen India-Mauritius bilateral relations. The Indian President also presented an Indian RuPay card to Jugnauth as a special gesture, after RuPay services were launched in Mauritius last month.

“Taking India-Mauritius partnership to new heights! President Droupadi Murmu @rashtrapatibhvn and PM @KumarJugnauth of Mauritius held a tete-a-tete meeting. The two leaders took stock of bilateral ties and discussed ways to impart further momentum to the historic & deep-rooted India-Mauritius partnership,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.

As part of a three-day state visit, President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Mauritius on Monday. PM Pravind Jugnauth welcomed President Murmu at the airport with full honours. She has been invited as the Chief Guest for Mauritius National Day celebrations on March 12 (Tuesday). 

A contingent of the Indian Navy will also participate in the celebrations along with two ships — INS Tir and CGS Sarathi. President Murmu also held a bilateral meeting with her Mauritian counterpart Prithvirajsing Roopun to advance the long-standing and multi-faceted bilateral ties between both countries and gifted him with an Indian RuPay card. 

India approves OCI card for 7th generation of Indian-origin Mauritians

Additionally, India approved a special provision to grant an Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card to the 7th generation of Indian-origin people in Mauritius, President Droupadi Murmu said on Monday. The decision would allow the younger Mauritians of Indian origin to become overseas citizens of India and reconnect with the land of their ancestors.

“In the context of the ‘Khoon ka Rishta’ that I mentioned earlier, I have great pleasure in informing you all that my government has just approved a special provision under which 7th generation Mauritians of Indian origin will also be eligible for the Overseas Citizens of India card, the OCI card. This will enable many younger Mauritians of Indian origin to become overseas citizens of India and reconnect with the land of their ancestors,” President Murmu said at the National Day celebrations of Mauritius in the country’s capital Port Louis.

The President also highlighted India-assisted development projects in Mauritius and said that these projects are a testament to India’s support to Mauritius. “Our relationship has grown stronger over the last few decades, whether it is securing the Indian Ocean together or sharing our COVID vaccines during the pandemic, whether it is bolstering our capacities across sectors, connecting our economies and our people, or supporting one another in global platforms,” she said.

She underscored the major projects recently launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mauritius. “The metro project, the new EMT hospital, the new Supreme Court building, the new solar power plant, and many other India-assisted development projects are visible symbols of India’s commitment to support the well-being of all Mauritians,” the president added.

President Murmu’s schedule

Murmu will also meet the Speaker of the Mauritius National Assembly, the Chief Justice of the Mauritian Supreme Court and important Mauritian leaders during the three-day visit. Murmu and Jugnauth will jointly inaugurate 14 India-assisted projects, showcasing the growing expanse and multi-faceted nature of New Delhi’s vibrant development partnership with Mauritius that constitutes a “key pillar” of the bilateral relationship, the MEA said.

The president will also witness the exchange of important bilateral agreements that seek to further strengthen the robust bilateral institutional collaboration and capacity-building cooperation between the two countries. “As the sixth Indian president to grace the Mauritian National Day as the chief guest since 2000, President Murmu’s state visit underscores the longstanding and enduring ties between India and Mauritius,” the MEA said.

Additionally, she will address Mauritian youth at the University of Mauritius and socio-cultural organisations, members of the Indian diaspora and the Indian community at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute. Jaiswal on Monday said this visit will be a “new milestone” in India-Mauritius ties. The president will also pay homage to Mauritian leaders at the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden and visit several historical and cultural sites, including the Aapravasi Ghat, where Indian indentured labourers first arrived in Mauritius.

(with inputs from agencies)

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