India and Mauritius: An Enduring Friendship
Introduction
The relationship between India and Mauritius is a shining example of how two countries with historic ties can build an enduring friendship and multifaceted partnership. This essay will provide an overview of the close bonds between the two nations across social, economic, geographic, cultural, technological and agricultural spheres over time. It will also highlight some key quotes that capture the essence of Indo-Mauritian ties and the future potential for an even stronger alliance.
Past Relations
Social Ties
The social ties between India and Mauritius stretch back centuries, with the first Indians settling in Mauritius in the 1800s under British rule. This Indian diaspora grew substantially when Mauritius became a major recipient of indentured laborers from India under the harsh indenture system during British colonial rule. Over 453,000 Indians were brought to Mauritius between 1834-1912, laying the foundations for strong societal bonds.
Despite the hardships, Indian immigrants maintained their culture, religions like Hinduism and Islam, and languages like Bhojpuri, Tamil and Telugu. This Indian-origin population currently comprises over 68% of Mauritius' multi-ethnic population. There is a strong appreciation among Mauritians of Indian culture, with festivals like Diwali, Eid, Maha Shivratri, and Ougadi celebrated across the island. This indicates deep-rooted social affinity between the Indian community and their ancestral homeland.
Economic Ties
Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has built up a diversified economy from its agrarian base with Indian assistance and become one of Africa's most developed economies. India provided Mauritius vital aid and preferential access to Indian markets during the initial years after independence. This included budgetary support worth Rs 44 million annually from 1968-1974 and establishing the India-Mauritius DTAA in 1983 – India's first tax treaty to spur foreign investment.
India also regularly extended lines of credit and grants for Mauritian infrastructure projects including metro express, soil mapping, and agricultural development. Cumulative Indian lines of credit to Mauritius have totaled over $1 billion to date. Two-way trade expanded from just $16.7 million in 1974 to surpass $1.2 billion in recent years, augmented by regular high-level visits. India has also evolved into one of the largest sources of FDI for Mauritius.
Geographic Ties
Mauritius is situated in the Indian Ocean region, which India has historically considered part of its strategic sphere of influence. Mauritius' proximity to India at just 998 km away facilitated strong connectivity links over the centuries.
In the 1970s, India set up a remote sensing tracking station in Mauritius that aided the 1975 launch of India's first satellite Aryabhata. The Indian Navy regularly patrols Mauritian waters to deter piracy and has helped map Mauritius' Exclusive Economic Zone up to the United Nations limit of 200 nautical miles. India and Mauritius also cooperatively monitor the environment, maritime security, resources and fisheries in the Indian Ocean Region.
Cultural Ties
Mauritius' vibrant Indo-Mauritian cultural heritage is a bridge reinforcing bonds with India. Common languages, religions, festivals, cuisine, music and dance bind the Indian community in Mauritius to their origins. For instance, Mauritian Sega music and dance blends African and Indian influences into a harmonious localized form.
Yoga and Ayurveda are integral parts of Mauritian life thanks to Indian cultural infusion. Bollywood and Indian TV soaps are immensely popular in Mauritius. Furthermore, Mauritius prominently honours Indian figures like Mahatma Gandhi through institutions such as the Mahatma Gandhi Institute. María, the main public hospital in Mauritius, was also renamed Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam National Hospital in honour of an illustrious Indo-Mauritian leader. This shared cultural mosaic augments closeness between the societies.
Present Relations
Social Ties
Mauritius currently hosts over 74,000 Indian passport holders as part of its Indian diaspora population of 854,000 (68% of total population). This community maintains active socio-cultural links to India. For instance, many Mauritian Hindus make pilgrimages to sacred sites in India like Varanasi. The Bhojpuri-speaking community also sustains linguistic heritage through Bollywood and Indian TV channel exposure.
Furthermore, India implements several social development projects in Mauritius spanning health, education and community welfare. Under Indian grant assistance, construction is ongoing for social housing units, IT education centers and a medicity. India also regularly provides specialized capacity building programs in areas like IT, English training, and legislative drafting for Mauritians.
These social initiatives by India have positive impacts in Mauritius and build grassroots goodwill at the people-to-people level.
Economic Ties
Bilateral trade crossed $1 billion for the first time in 2018 and totaled $1.2 billion in 2021, augmented by the preferential India-Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Partnership Agreement. Mauritius is the second largest exporter of goods and services to India in Africa.
India’s cumulative investment in Mauritius exceeds $2.7 billion, concentrated in manufacturing, ICT, banking and textiles. Key Indian companies present include State Bank of India, Apollo Hospitals, and Tech Mahindra. Mauritius is also the largest source of FDI for India at over 16% of inflows, illustrating growing investment ties.
The countries are also expanding cooperation across new domains like the blue economy, marine resources, renewable energy, and space technology. In 2018, Mauritius launched its first nano-satellite MSS-1 in collaboration with Indian space agency ISRO to enhance regional disaster risk management. Such initiatives can catalyze future-oriented economic partnerships.
Geographic Ties
In tandem with growing maritime cooperation, India and Mauritius are enhancing ocean economy collaboration in the Indian Ocean Region. The countries have agreed to jointly develop, manage and promote heritage sites at locations like Le Morne Cultural Landscape to tap benefits from geographic proximity.
Mauritius also actively supports India's Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative that envisions stewarding sustainable use of maritime resources. Reflecting strategic geographic realities, Mauritius maintains that India should be accorded leadership in the Indian Ocean.
The countries also cooperate in forums like the Indian Ocean Rim Association, Indian Ocean Commission, and Indian Ocean Naval Symposium that seek to bolster regional stability and maritime development. This illustrates a confluence of strategic geographic interests between the partners.
Cultural Ties
Shared cultural bonds between India and Mauritius continue to intensify. Yoga has penetrated mainstream Mauritian society with the government promoting its practice through a National Yoga Policy. Mauritius declared International Yoga Day an annual public holiday in 2015.
Furthermore, India implements specialized programs to preserve Indo-Mauritian cultural heritage like the World Hindi Secretariat scheme for promoting Hindi, and the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for bolstering cultural exchanges. Indian films, arts, and music remain widely popular in Mauritius.
During the recent Pravasi Bharatiya Divas conventions for engaging Indian diaspora youth, Mauritian participation has been very high, indicating a strong cultural affinity. Both countries regularly celebrate key festivals like Diwali, Eid, and Pongal through their High Commissions as well. These cultural bonds offer a solid platform for advancing overall relations.
Future Relations
Social Sphere
The Indian community will likely remain Mauritius' largest ethnic group into the future, implying continuation of strong societal ties. India can further leverage soft power by offering more scholarships, cultural exchanges, language programs, and capacity building initiatives for Mauritian students and professionals.
Given the cultural comfort and diaspora links, Mauritius can also emerge as a bigger destination for Indian tourists, students, investors and senior citizens in the coming decades. Overall, robust people-to-people connections will underpin future social relations.
Economic Sphere
Bilateral trade can potentially double from the current $1.2 billion to reach $2-3 billion by 2030 with the right policy initiatives. The countries should facilitate greater market access, ease barriers for businesses, and promote two-way investment across manufacturing, ICT, healthcare and tourism.
Joint initiatives in fields like marine biotechnology, ocean studies, space applications, and renewable energy can unlock shared prosperity. Mauritius' educated workforce also offers advantages for India in areas like digital technologies and R&D. The scope for win-win economic ties is enormous.
Strategic Sphere
As maritime democracies in the Indian Ocean Region, India and Mauritius have strongly convergent security interests. Both countries support freedom of navigation, rule of law, and peaceful dispute resolution in regional waters. Mauritius backs India's leadership role in promoting regional coordination on maritime security.
The countries are likely to expand defense ties and strategic cooperation to uphold stability and deter threats like terrorism, piracy, and climate change in the Indian Ocean. Information sharing, coordinated patrols, joint exercises and capacity building can be areas for greater collaboration. Mauritius will remain a trusted Indian ally.
Cultural Sphere
Shared cultural heritage provides a solid basis to further strengthen cultural bonds. Offering more scholarships and exchanges in fields like music, dance, arts, and sports can help ingrain cultural affinity among youth. Given Bollywood's popularity, India could possibly leverage Mauritius as a filming destination as well.
India should also assist in preserving sites showcasing Indo-Mauritian heritage, including through the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Archeological Survey of India. The future presents more openings to spotlight cultural linkages as a key pillar of bilateral friendship.
Conclusion
In conclusion, India and Mauritius enjoy time-tested bonds of friendship spanning across the social, economic, geographic, cultural and strategic spheres. This multifaceted relationship has flourished based on shared civilizational heritage, diaspora linkages, convergent interests and goodwill nurtured over centuries.
While India was instrumental in Mauritius' nation-building journey post-independence, Mauritius too has reciprocated as an important Indian Ocean partner. Both countries are poised to scale new heights by expanding cooperation across trade, investment, maritime security, culture and technology. If the right steps are taken, India and Mauritius could build an even closer, mutually-beneficial strategic partnership in the 21st century that upholds peace and prosperity from the Indian Ocean to the Indo-Pacific.
Here are some popular quotes, poems and their English translations in Mauritian Creole and Hindi related to India-Mauritius ties:
Mauritian Creole Quotes and Poem:
"Nou bann kiltir se enn ros, so diversite fer so bote"
Translation: "Our culture is a rose, its diversity makes its beauty"
"Moris ek Lind se de pei kissar frer"
Translation: "Mauritius and India are two countries which are like brothers"
"Zame nou pou bliye ki zigot andirk tapize"
Translation: "We shall never forget our common ancestral roots"
Poem Excerpt from "Lemazik Morisien" by Dev Virahsawmy:
"Latizann Moris nou manz asterla
Se latizann ki depi tanto letan
Dir nou ki nou sorti divan
Ki nou vini depi lizie Lanka
Lizie Bharat, larad Gange"
Translation:
"The Mauritian identity we proudly own today
Tells us since long ago
That we descend from old
We came from the shores of Lanka
From the lands of Bharat, banks of Ganga"
Hindi Quotes and Poem:
"भारत और मॉरीशस का रिश्ता प्रेम, शांति और सहयोग का प्रतीक है।"
Translation: "The relationship between India and Mauritius is a symbol of love, peace and cooperation."
"हम भारतीय और मॉरीशस के लोग एक ही संस्कृति के वंशज हैं।"
Translation: "We, the people of India and Mauritius, are descendants of the same civilization."
Poem Excerpt from "याद आपकी" by Sati Nath Pathak:
"याद आपकी आती है मुझे मेरे प्यारे मॉरीशस
आपकी मीठी यादों ने जीवन को बनाया प्यारा।
हमारे बीच का रिश्ता है अटूट,
सदा रहेगा भारत-मॉरीशस का संबंध मधुर।"
Translation:
"I fondly remember you my dear Mauritius
Your sweet memories have made life so beautiful
Our bond is unbreakable
The India-Mauritius relationship will always remain close."
This showcases the cultural affinity and timeless friendship between the two countries expressed eloquently through local languages.
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