Modi, Mauritius PM inaugurate airstrip, jetty, 6 other projects

Calling it a “historic day”, Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauth said that these projects will “enhance the island’s capacity and capabilities in marine surveillance and security, while also meeting development objectives”.

The move to develop and build the new airstrip and the jetty came after Modi’s visit to the island country in March 2015. Jugnauth said that since 2003, several attempts had been made to upgrade the air strip, but nothing concrete materialised.

“The March 2015 MoU (to upgrade the airstrip and the Set James Jetty) reflected India’s commitment to continually assist Mauritius in meeting its development goals satisfying the principles of mutual benefit, strict compliance with the sacrosanct principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity.”

“There has never been any agenda for Mauritius to relinquish its sovereignty over the Agalega islands, as some ill-minded persons in and outside Mauritius attempted to make believe. Likewise, there has never been any agenda to transform Agalega to a military base…here, I wish to forcefully deplore, condemn India-bashing campaign, some people in Mauritius have commented.”

He said these will lead to more effective surveillance and monitoring of Mauritius’ vast EEZ of 2.3 million square kilometres, and it will be in a better position to initiate counter-piracy, counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics actions, combat human trafficking, combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

He said that these facilities will also be of paramount importance to “emergency responses, including search and rescue, marine pollution and humanitarian assistance”. Moreover, he said, this new infrastructure and facilities will generate “significant economic activities, employment opportunities which along with the six other projects… We have inaugurated today will go a long way towards improving the quality of life of our Agalegan brothers and sisters”.

The India-funded projects in Agalega island of Mauritius are seen as important as they are expected to boost connectivity as well as maritime security and surveillance in the strategic Indian Ocean region.

Modi flagged concerns over challenges in the Indian Ocean region and said India and Mauritius are “natural partners” in the maritime domain to deal with them.

“Many traditional and non-traditional challenges are emerging in the Indian Ocean Region. All these challenges affect our economy. India and Mauritius are natural partners in the field of maritime security to deal with the challenges,” he said.

“We are actively working to ensure security, prosperity and stability in the Indian Ocean Region,” he said.