India signs free trade pact with Mauritius, the first of its kind with African nation

In one of significant outcomes of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's visit to Mauritius, India on Monday signed a Free Tre Agreement (FTA) with Mauritius. It is first such arrangement that India struck with any African country. Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth hailed Comprehensive Economic Cooperation & Partnership Agreement (CECPA) as “far-reaching” and said that it would unleash new as well as expanded opportunities in tre, goods & services, investment, economic cooperation & technical assistance.

In a joint statement on February 22, Mauritius PM said that nation aspires to play a greater role in India’s engagement in Africa. Jugnauth said that CECPA will furr encourage Indian entrepreneurs to invest not only in Mauritius but also in entire region consolidating joint ambition to make African nation “centre of excellence”.

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Mauritius PM said at India-Mauritius joint statement, “As India seeks to step her vast & multilayered cooperation with African continent, for next edition of India-Africa forum Mauritius aspires to play a greater role in se engagements as a gateway b/w India & Africa. Comprehensive Economic Cooperation & Partnership Agreement is 1st of its kind, signed by India with an African country. It's far-reaching & should unleash new & expanded opportunities in tre, goods & services, investment, economic cooperation & technical assistance.”

“ CECPA will encourage Indian entrepreneurs to invest both in Mauritius & across whole region. This consolidating our ambition of making Mauritius a strategic regional economic hub & a centre of excellence,” he ded.

Jaishankar on two-day visit to Mauritius

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar is presently visiting Mauritius from February 22-23 after last arriving in nation in August 2018. Jaishankar last arrived in East African nation when former EAM late Sushma Swaraj visited Mauritius for 11th World Hindi Conference. While India is largest development cooperation partner of Mauritius with a focus on people-oriented projects, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jagnauth h also visited India in an unofficial visit with his spouse in December 2019. 

Elevating bilateral relations between both nations, in July 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Jugnauth jointly e-inaugurated new Supreme Court building in Mauritius built with India grant assistance. Both leers h previously also inaugurated Phase 1 of landmark Metro Express project and a new ENT hospital in Mauritius.   Metro Express Project is also largest infrastructure projected which is being executed by India in Mauritius. 

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