India has pledged $680 million in economic assistance to Mauritius, strengthening ties between the two nations and expanding India’s influence in the Indian Ocean region.
The aid package, announced during Mauritian Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam’s state visit to India, will support various projects in healthcare, infrastructure, and maritime security, including the construction of a new hospital, port redevelopment, and provision of helicopters.
The assistance also includes support for development and surveillance of the marine protected area of the Chagos archipelago, which houses a US-British air base on the island of Diego Garcia.
Britain ceded sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in May, but retained control of the military base under a 99-year lease.
India has historically backed Mauritius’ claims over the islands and has supported the US presence in the Indian Ocean to check the growing influence of China, which has close trade ties with Mauritius.
The marine protected area, where commercial fishing is banned, is one of the world’s largest, covering a quarter of a million square miles, an area larger than the US state of California.
The economic assistance was announced in a joint statement during the state visit, and the support covers other development projects, including budgetary assistance of $25 million in the current financial year.
