Your Excellency, Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam ji,
Mrs. Veena Ramgoolam ji,
Deputy Prime Minister Paul Bérenger ji,
Respected Ministers of Mauritius,
Distinguished brothers and sisters,
Namaskar and bonjour to you all!
First and foremost, I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister for his emotional and inspiring thoughts. I’m grateful to the Prime Minister, the government of Mauritius and its people for this grand welcome and hospitality. A visit to Mauritius is always very special for an Indian Prime Minister. It’s not just a diplomatic visit, but an opportunity to meet family. I sensed this affinity from the very moment I set foot on the land of Mauritius. There is a sense of belonging everywhere. There are no barriers of protocol. It’s a matter of privilege for me to be invited once again as Chief Guest of the Mauritius National Day. On this occasion, I extend my heartfelt wishes to you on behalf of 140 crore Indians.
Mr. Prime Minister,
The people of Mauritius have chosen you as their Prime Minister for the fourth time. Last year, the people of India chose me to serve them for the third consecutive time. And, I consider it serendipity, to get an opportunity to work with a senior and experienced leader as yourself during this term. We have the great fortune of taking the India - Mauritius relationship to greater heights. The partnership between India and Mauritius is not limited to our historic relations. It is based on shared values, mutual trust, and a common vision of a brighter future. Your leadership has always guided and strengthened our relations. Under this leadership, our partnership continues to strengthen and expand across all areas. India takes pride to be a trusted and valued partner in the development journey of Mauritius. Together, we are working on key infrastructure projects that are leaving an indelible mark of progress across every corner of Mauritius. The results of mutual cooperation in capacity building and human resource development are becoming evident across both the government and private sectors. In every challenging moment, whether it’s a natural disaster or the COVID pandemic, we have stood together like family. Today our historical and cultural ties have taken the form of a comprehensive partnership.
Friends,
Mauritius is our close maritime neighbour and a key partner in the Indian Ocean region. During my last visit to Mauritius, I shared the Vision SAGAR. It places regional development, security, and shared prosperity at its core. We firmly believe that the countries of the Global South must come together and speak with a united voice. With this spirit, we prioritised the Global South as a central focus during our G20 presidency. And we invited Mauritius to join us as a special guest.
Friends,
As I’ve said before, if there is one country in the world that has a right on India, it is Mauritius. There are no limits to our relationship. There are no limits to our hopes and aspirations towards our relations. In future, we will continue to collaborate for the prosperity of our people and the peace and security of the entire region. With this spirit, let us come together to extend our heartfelt wishes for the good health of Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam and Smt. Veena Ji, the continued progress and prosperity of the people of Mauritius, and the strong friendship between India and Mauritius.
Jai Hind !
Vive Maurice !
