Port Louis, Aug 11 (IANS) Indian Navy Chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan on Tuesday held a series of talks with senior officials of the Mauritian government, discussing ways to strengthen bilateral maritime security cooperation between the two countries.
The officials included Rampersad Sooroojebally, Commissioner of Police, Mauritius Police Force and Kan Oye Fong Weng-Poorun, Secretary for Home and Defence Affairs, Government of Mauritius.
Admiral Swaminathan also met India's High Commissioner to Mauritius, Anurag Srivastava, exploring new avenues for collaboration between the two countries.
Sharing the details of the meeting, the Indian Navy took to X and posted: "Discussions were centred on strengthening maritime security cooperation, capacity building of the Mauritius National Coast Guard, joint EEZ surveillance and expanding operational linkages between the two maritime forces."
"India and Mauritius share an enduring maritime partnership, anchored in mutual trust and a shared commitment to ensuring a secure and stable Indian Ocean Region - in line with the vision of MAHASAGAR," it added.
On Monday, Admiral Swaminathan began his four-day visit to Mauritius, aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation and defence ties with the East African nation.
"The visit is part of India's continued engagement to strengthen bilateral maritime cooperation and deepen defence ties with Mauritius, an extremely valued partner in the Indian Ocean Region," the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
The Defence Ministry said that engagements with senior leadership of the Mauritian government are focused on strengthening Indo-Mauritius cooperation in the maritime domain, enhancing operational-level linkages and consolidating the robust strategic partnership between India and Mauritius.
"India and Mauritius share a close and enduring maritime partnership. The Indian Navy engages regularly with the National Coast Guard through training exchanges, operational interactions including Joint Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Surveillance, port visits and hydrographic surveys," the Ministry said.
Both countries also participate and engage with each other in multilateral forums and cooperative initiatives.
Additionally, Mauritius has been a regular participant in key Indian Navy initiatives such as the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, MILAN, International Fleet Review, Goa Maritime Conclave, IOS SAGAR and Exercise AIKEYME, aptly reflecting the vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) they share.
"The visit of Admiral Krishna Swaminathan to Mauritius after assuming charge as the Chief of the Naval Staff underscores the priority India accords to the friendship it shares with Mauritius, anchored in mutual respect, trust and a shared commitment to maritime security, regional cooperation and stability in the Indian Ocean Region," the Ministry said.
--IANS
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