Varanasi, 11 September: Varanasi (Kashi), the cultural and spiritual capital of Uttar Pradesh, witnessed a historic diplomatic occasion on Thursday, when bilateral talks were held between the Prime Ministers of India and Mauritius.
In this high-level meeting held amid tight security at Hotel Taj in Nadesar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mauritius Prime Minister Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam discussed many important issues in a positive and cordial atmosphere. Before the talks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warmly welcomed Mauritius Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam and hugged him.
After this, the MoU between India and Mauritius was signed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mauritius Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam. In the meeting, Prime Minister Modi mentioned the Chagos Marine Protected Area and congratulated it.
During this, Prime Minister Modi said that India and Mauritius are not just partners, but a family. Mauritius is the first pillar in our policy of ‘Neighbor First’.
He said that India has always supported decolonization and sovereignty of Mauritius and has stood firmly with Mauritius in this. The Prime Minister said that the first Jan Aushadhi Center outside India has now been established in Mauritius. India will assist in the construction of 500-bed AYUSH Excellence Center Sir Shiv Sagar Ramgoolam National (SSRN) Hospital and Veterinary School and Animal Hospital in Mauritius.
Prime Minister Modi said that Kashi has been enriching Mauritius with the flow of Mother Ganga. Welcoming friends there in Kashi is not a formal but a spiritual meeting.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that UPI and RuPay Card were started in Mauritius last year. Now we will work towards enabling trade in local currency. India’s IIT Madras and Indian Institute of Plantation Management have signed agreements with the University of Mauritius. These agreements will take mutual partnership in research, education and innovation to a new level.
Assuring the Prime Minister of Mauritius, the Indian Prime Minister said that a free, open, secure, stable and prosperous Indian Ocean is our common priority. India is fully committed to strengthening the security and maritime capacity of Mauritius’s key economic region. This year we are celebrating the 125th birth anniversary of Sir Shiv Sagar Ramgoolam. He was not only the father of the nation of Mauritius but also the founder of the unbreakable bridge between India and Mauritius. His birth anniversary inspires us to take our relations to new heights together.
Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam also expressed gratitude for the honor received in Kashi. Praising Prime Minister Modi, he said that the hospitality and honor received in Kashi is unexpected and unprecedented. I am happy that Kashi is your constituency. I can understand why you have been selected in such a large number. This is my fourth official visit to India. After coming to Varanasi, both my wife and I were surprised by the welcome we received. I believe that no other Prime Minister has ever received such an honor.