India privileged to be a development partner for Mauritius: PM Modi

Port Louis: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that it is a great privilege to be a development partner for Mauritius, and added that India will do nothing to harm one of its closest strategic partners.

"I thank you for your support. But, I also assure you that we will do nothing to harm this vibrant (development) sector of one of our closest strategic partners. It has been a great privilege to be a development partner for Mauritius. We will always be ready to do more, in accordance with your wishes," said Prime Minister Modi, while addressing the National Assembly of Mauritius.

"Yesterday, we announced a new Line of Credit of 500 million U.S. dollars for the development of civilian projects in Mauritius. Prime Minister Vajpayee had supported the construction of the first cyber city in Mauritius in 2003. That became a symbol of our thriving economic partnership. I am pleased to announce our support for a second cyber city in Mauritius," he said.

"While we are on the subject of information technology, the e-health project in Mauritius is a laudable initiative. And, we would be happy to support its development. We are honoured to be Mauritius's partner for meeting its petroleum requirements. We are embarking on a new project to build the petroleum storage facility here. This will further strengthen the position of Mauritius as a regional economic hub," he added.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister said that he is confident that under the leadership of Prime Minister Aneroodh Jugnauth, development in Mauritius would become more impressive.

"Over the last nine months, we in India have moved with a clear vision of inclusive development. We have acted with speed, resolve, innovation and boldness to increase economic growth; reform our economy and transform the lives of our people; and create opportunities for the most excluded youth, the remotest farmer and the farthest village," said the Prime Minister.

"I am confident that under Prime Minister Jugnauth, development in Mauritius will become more impressive. And, I can assure you that as always we will be with you - in support of your efforts and in joy for your success," he said.

"Yesterday, I told Prime Minister Jugnauth that we understand the importance of the offshore banking sector for your economy. We are conscious of its dependence on India. We will work together for our shared objective to avoid the abuse of our double taxation avoidance convention," he added.

Prime Minister Modi said that India is seeking to develop marine economy and discover new possibilities with Mauritius.

"Mauritius has shown great vision in the development of its ocean economy - from fishing to tourism. India is also highly dependent on the seas. We are seeking to develop our marine economy and discover new possibilities. We are doing this in a sustainable manner that preserves the delicate ecosystem of our oceans. Indeed, the oceans hold vast potential to advance our prosperity and meet the challenges of the world," said the Prime Minister.

"That is why I consider the blue chakra in our national flag as a symbol of Blue Revolution; just as saffron represents Energy Revolution, white the Milk Revolution and, green the Energy Revolution. This offers a great opportunity for cooperation between our two countries. We can learn from you. Together, we can better understand our marine ecology and the new opportunities. We can improve our ability to pursue more sustainable practices," he said.

"Our partnership must also cover the challenge of climate change. For India, it is a mission that we are pursuing on an entirely new scale and with a new sense of urgency. We have set an ambitious target of 100 Gigawatts of solar energy and 60 Gigawatts of wind energy by 2022. We will seek to dramatically increase our energy efficiency, which is the cleanest form of energy.

This is a choice that is driven by commitment to the future, but also by principles," the Prime Minister said.

"And for me, it is an Article of Faith.We are the inheritors of an ancient tradition and wisdom that elevated preservation of nature to a sacred duty; that worships Earth as a mother; and, that treats reckless exploitation of nature as a crime. Mauritius has been a leading international voice on climate change, not just as an advocate for island states, but for the sake of our collective future. We look forward to working with you for a more resolute global action against climate change," he added.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi applauded Mauritius for its immense contribution towards Hindi literature, and said that when a man speaks in his native language, the words do not come out of his mouth, but his heart, while addressing a gathering at the World Hindi Secretariat Building site in Phoenix.

Prime Minister Modi, who was accorded a ceremonial welcome on his arrival in Port Louis yesterday, will also be the chief guest at the National Day celebrations of Mauritius.

On Wednesday, India and Mauritius signed five agreements to give new momentum to bilateral cooperation between the two nations.

The MoUs were signed in the presence of Prime Minister Modi and his Mauritian counterpart Sir Anerood Jugnuth.