Mauritius Elections / After the US, there is a change of power in this country too, what does it mean for India?

Mauritius Elections: After America, now there is a change of power in India's neighboring country Mauritius. In the recently concluded parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Pravind Jagannath's coalition L'Alliance Lepep has suffered defeat. The 'Alliance of Change' led by Navin Ramgoolam has won the election, and now 77-year-old Ramgoolam will become the new leader of this archipelago in the Indian Ocean. On this occasion, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Ramgoolam and expressed his desire to further strengthen the "special and unique partnership" between the two countries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's best wishes

PM Modi posted on the social media platform 'X' and informed about the conversation with Navin Ramgoolam. Congratulating the new Prime Minister of Mauritius, he said, "I had a warm conversation with my friend Navin Ramgoolam and congratulated him on his historic victory in the election. I wished him success in leading Mauritius and invited him to visit India." PM Modi said that he is keen to work together to further strengthen the historical partnership between the two countries.

Ramgoolam becomes Prime Minister for the third time

Naveen Ramgoolam is going to become the Prime Minister of Mauritius for the third time. Earlier, he has served as Prime Minister from 1995-2000 and 2005-2014. Ramgoolam's father Sivasagar Ramgoolam was the first Prime Minister of Mauritius and played an important role in the country's freedom struggle. The people of Mauritius voted for 62 seats in Parliament, in which the 'Alliance of Change' got a majority.

Importance of India-Mauritius relations

About 70% of Mauritius' population of 1.2 million is of Indian origin, making it a major partner for India. Relations between India and Mauritius have been close since the colonial period. Diplomatic relations between India and Mauritius were established in 1948, before Mauritius gained independence from British rule in 1968. Since then, India has stood by Mauritius in times of crisis, be it the COVID-19 pandemic or the Wakashio oil spill crisis.

During COVID-19, India supported Mauritius by sending 13 tonnes of medicines and an Indian Rapid Response Medical Team. Additionally, India also provided 1 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine to Mauritius free of cost.

Growing trade partnership

India has remained one of the largest trading partners of Mauritius for the last 17 years. In FY 2022-2023, exports from India to Mauritius were US$ 462.69 million, while imports from Mauritius to India were US$ 91.50 million. Trade between the two countries has grown by 132% in the past years, reflecting the depth of bilateral relations.

Influence of Indian culture in Mauritius

Indian culture has a deep imprint in Mauritius. On the occasion of the inauguration of the Ayodhya temple in January this year, Hindus in Mauritius were given a special two-hour leave to participate in religious functions. Apart from this, Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar visited Mauritius in July and met Navin Ramgoolam and other opposition leaders. All these steps have kept the relations between India and Mauritius strong.

Expectations of India's relations with the new government

Even though the opposition alliance has won the elections, India does not expect any major change in Mauritius' policies. India's strong relations with Navin Ramgoolam's government are also likely to remain, as the two countries have a special strategic partnership and long-standing cultural and historical ties.

Conclusion

The coming to power of Navin Ramgoolam's government in Mauritius is an opportunity for India to further strengthen this special partnership. Under Ramgoolam's leadership, relations between Mauritius and India can reach new heights.