Port Louis [Mauritius], March 12 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with his Mauritius counterpart Navinchandra Ramgoolam, where they reviewed bilateral ties and explored new avenues to elevate 'special bond to even greater heights.'

During the meeting on Tuesday evening, PM Modi expressed gratitude to PM Ramgoolan for Mauritius' decision to confer upon him the 'Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean.'

'Had an excellent meeting with Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam this evening. Thanked him for inviting me to be a part of the National Day celebrations of Mauritius and also his special gestures through my visit. I expressed gratitude to PM Ramgoolam for Mauritius' decision to confer upon me the Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean,' PM Modi posted on X.

https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1899520688362582520

During the meeting, PM Modi stated that India was proud to be a 'valued and trusted development partner' for Mauritius and the two nations would work together for promoting the interests of the Global South.

In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, 'PM @narendramodi held productive talks with PM @Ramgoolam_Dr of Mauritius, reaffirming the strength of the India - Mauritius partnership. PM thanked PM Ramgoolam for the highest civilian award of Mauritius, G.C.S.K (Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean) to be bestowed on him tomorrow.'

'The leaders reviewed bilateral relations, ongoing collaborations & explored new avenues to elevate our special bond to even greater heights. PM affirmed that India was proud to be a valued and trusted development partner for & the two countries would work together for promoting the interests of the Global South,' he added.

https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1899522110852342014

PM Modi also attended a banquet dinner hosted by Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam. In his remarks at the banquet, PM Modi said that the relationship between the two countries has no boundaries, and they will work together for the people of the two nations, as well as the peace and security of the region.

'If there is one country in the world which has full rights over India, that is Mauritius. There are no boundaries to our relations. There is no limit to our hopes and aspirations regarding our relations. In the future, we will keep working together for our people and peace and security of the region,' PM Modi said.

Prime Minister Modi recalled proposing the SAGAR vision during his last visit to Mauritius. He called Mauritius India's 'close maritime neighbour' and 'important partner' in the Indian Ocean region.

'Mauritius is our close maritime neighbour, and it's an important partner in the Indian Ocean. During my last visit to Mauritius, I proposed vision SAGAR. Regional development, security and prosperity are central to it. I believe that the countries of the Global South need to raise voices together. During our presidency of the G20, we placed the priority of the Global South at the centre and invited Mauritius as our special guest,' he said.

He stated that partnership between India and Mauritius is not just limited to historical ties but based on shared values, trust and a vision for a bright future.

He said, 'The partnership between India and Mauritius is not just limited to historical ties but is also based on shared values, trust and a vision for bright future. You (Mauritius PM Navinchandra Ramgoolam) have always led our relations and based on this leadership, our partnership is reaching new heights in all areas.' (ANI)