PM Modi Reiterates Commitment To Strengthen Bilateral Ties With Mauritius 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (9 November) reiterated India's commitment to continue close and extensive cooperation with Mauritius in a telephonic conversation with the country's Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth.

As per officials, Modi told Jugnauth that the people of Mauritius had reposed their faith in his leadership which attested their support to the development-oriented policies of his government.

Mauritian Prime Minister Jugnauth thanked Modi and expressed his desire to take forward India's special relationship with his country and further strengthen bilateral cooperation.

"Thank you very much sir @narendramodi for your congratulations, it is with a real pleasure that I would have to work with you a few more years. The friendship between India and Mauritius has never been so strong in the past. @PMOIndia," tweeted Jugnauth.

"The cooperation of our two countries must continue for the development of our nations and the well being of our citizens. @narendramodi @PMOIndia," Jugnauth said in another tweet.

Jugnauth thanked the Government of India for the presence of Governor of Uttar Pradesh as the chief guest at the recent Aapravasi Divas celebrations and also accepted the invitation extended by Modi to visit India at his early convenience.

Mauritius shares strong historical and political ties with India with around 68 per cent of its population being of Indian descent. The island nation is also strategically important for India given its location in the Indian Ocean Region besides the fact that India is also its largest trading partner.

Jugnauth was re-elected for a five-year term in office in the recently-concluded elections in the island nation. The ruling Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) party of Mauritius won 38 of the 62 seats in the country's Parliament in the polls that were held on Thursday (7 November).

The MSM's rival parties, the Labour Party and the Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), won 13 and 9 seats, respectively, in the elections while two seats were won by the Organisation of the People of Rodrigues party.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)