Profile
Settings
Refer your friends
Sign out
To improve economic and strategic relations of the three strategically essential countries of Seychelles, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Mauritius, India’s southern neighbour on March 14, 2015. The Indian diaspora is significant in this region, and its economic importance has been steadily growing. Prime Minister Modi’s Indian Ocean Tour aimed to strengthen ties with various countries in the region, and he made several important announcements along the way. The tour was the first by an Indian Prime Minister in half a century.
Indian Prime Minister’s Indian Ocean Tour – Mauritius
Modi embarked on an eight-day tour of the Indian Ocean in March 2015. There are six island nations in the Indian Ocean–Comoros, Mauritius, Maldives, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar. India is a crucial player in the region, and this tour reflected its growing importance and commitment to the region. It also signalled India’s growing interest in the region and desire to strengthen ties with countries in the area. The tour was billed as an opportunity to strengthen ties with regional partners and showcase India’s economic might. Highlights of the tour included Modi’s meetings with Sri Lanka’s president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maldives’ president, Abdulla Yameen, and Mauritius’ president, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim. The Indian diaspora constitutes an important region, and its economic significance has been steadily growing in recent years. Growth in the region has been spurred by increased trade and investment and tourism. India is the world’s second-largest economy, and the tour was an opportunity to showcase India’s economic might and strengthen ties with regional partners.
The Indian PM’s Indian Ocean tour’s primary objective was to strengthen ties with India’s maritime neighbours and deepen cooperation in some areas, including trade and investment, defence, agriculture, agriculture production, education and skill development, maritime security, and people to people contacts. Further, the tour helped build cooperation among countries in the area on issues such as security and trade. Lastly, it paved the way for developing a more unified bloc of countries in the region that could collectively address issues such as terrorism and piracy. In reference to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which has been criticised for creating a “debt trap” in some Indian Ocean states, Modi commented that Mauritius is a prominent example of India’s method of growth partnership which is based on the requirements and urgencies of its partners and compliments India’s power.
Impact on India’s Relations With Other Countries in the Region
The Indian Prime Minister’s tour of the Indian Ocean region was an important event that reflected India’s growing importance in the region. The tour aimed to highlight the importance of the Indian Ocean region to India’s economy and security and reaffirm India’s commitment to the region and its partners. Modi emphasised the need for all countries in the region to work together to address common challenges, such as climate change, terrorism, and illegal migration. The Indian Prime Minister also called for deeper cooperation in trade, investment, and infrastructure projects. Further, Modi highlighted the need for increased maritime security in the region, noting that piracy and terrorism are significant threats to the region’s economic stability.
Economic Implications of the Tour
The tour potentially boosted India’s economy by increasing tourism and trade.
- The tour positively impacted Mauritius. The island nation saw a surge in visitor arrivals and investment, with the total value of tourism receipts reaching USD 1.5 billion. It was estimated to generate USD 2.5 billion in economic sales and support 60,000 jobs in the Mauritius tourism sector. Additionally, the increase in trade helped reduce India’s trade deficit and boosted the country’s GDP.
- The tour helped revive the Mauritian currency, the rupee, which was weakened by the demonetisation of the Indian currency in November 2016.
Several development projects to benefit the country were announced. These projects included a new international airport, a new seaport, and a new railway line.
The Prime Minister emphasised the importance of trade and investment in Mauritius and pledged to reduce India’s trade deficit with Mauritius.
Conclusion
Modi embarked on an eight-day tour of the Indian Ocean in March 2015. The tour was the first by an Indian Prime Minister in half a century. While it highlighted India’s growing interest in the region and desire to strengthen ties with countries in the area, it also raised many political questions. Some interpreted the visit as an attempt to counter China’s growing influence in the region, and there were concerns that India was becoming too involved in the politics of other countries. Others argued that it was a strategic move that would help to strengthen relationships with key allies and further India’s aims of becoming a regional superpower.
