India and Mauritius set to strengthen civilisational links, bolster maritime security during PM Modi’s landmark visit. PM Modi will be arriving in the Mauritian capital early Tuesday at the invitation of Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam to attend the country’s National Day celebrations as the Chief Guest on Wednesday. A contingent of Indian defence forces will also participate in the celebrations along with a ship from the Indian Navy. This is PM Modi’s first visit to Mauritius since 2015 when he had outlined India’s Vision SAGAR – Security and growth for All in the Region. India has not been the ‘first responder’ for Mauritius in times of crisis, but also amongst the largest trading partners of the Indian Ocean archipelago. The close bonds are especially evident in the numerous India-assisted development projects that have been inaugurated so far in Mauritius. In January, India provided a grant of USD 353 million to Mauritian economic projects as a ‘Special Economic Package’ This was followed by a USD 500 million Line of Credit from New Delhi in 2017.