Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius, The Honourable Pravind Kumar Jugnauth Ji,  Senior Ministers and dignitaries  of Mauritius,  Distinguished guests,  Namaskar,  Bonjour.

My warm greetings to all of you.  First of all, I congratulate the Government and people of Mauritius for the effective management of the COVID-19 global pandemic.  I am happy that India was able to support this effort through timely supplies of medicines and sharing of experiences. 

Friends, Today we celebrate yet another land-mark in the special friendship between India and Mauritius.  The new Supreme Court building in Port Louis is a symbol of our cooperation and our shared values.  Both India and Mauritius respect our independent judiciaries as important pillars of our democratic systems.  This impressive new building, with its modern design and construction, is a mark of this respect.  I am happy that this project has been completed on schedule and within the initial estimated cost. 

Prime Minister Jugnauth Ji, only a few months back, we had jointly inaugurated the landmark Metro project and a new state-of-the-art hospital.  I am happy to know that both these projects are proving useful for the people of Mauritius.

Friends, It was in Mauritius that I had first spoken about India's vision of SAGAR - Security and Growth for All in the Region.  This is because Mauritius is at the heart of India's approach to the Indian Ocean region.  And today, I want to add that Mauritius is also at the heart of India's approach to development partnerships. 

Friends, Mahatma Gandhi had rightly said and, I quote:  I do want to think in terms of the whole world.  My patriotism includes the good of mankind in general.  Therefore, my service to India includes the service of humanity  Unquote.  This is India's guiding philosophy.  India wants to develop  and India wants to help others in their own development needs. 

Friends, India’s approach to development is mainly human-centric.  We want to work for the welfare of humanity.  History has taught us that in the name of development partnerships, nations were forced into dependence partnerships.  It gave rise to colonial and imperial rule.  It gave rise to global power blocks.  And, Humanity suffered. 

Friends, India is making development partnerships that are marked by Respect,  Diversity,  Care for the future,  and Sustainable development. 

Friends, For India, the most fundamental principle in development cooperation is respecting our partners.  This sharing of development lessons is our only motivation.  That is why our development cooperation does not come with any conditions.  It is not influenced by political or commercial considerations. 

Friends, India’s development partnerships are diverse.  From commerce to culture,  Energy to engineering,  Health to housing,  IT to infrastructure,  Sports to science,  India is working with nations across the globe.  If India is honored to help in the Parliament building in Afghanistan,  It is also proud to be associated with the making of the Mahatma Gandhi Convention Centre in Niger.  We have been happy to help Nepal improve its health services through the construction of an emergency and trauma hospital.  And we were similarly privileged to support Sri Lanka's efforts to establish emergency ambulance services in all nine provinces. 

We are glad that the oil pipeline project we are doing with Nepal will help ensure the availability of petroleum products.  And similarly, we are delighted to contribute towards ensuring the availability of drinking water and sanitation in thirty-four islands of the Maldives.  We have tried to make cricket popular in countries as diverse as Afghanistan and Guyana by helping build stadiums and other facilities. 

We are excited to see the young Afghan cricket team trained in India emerge as a force to reckon with.  We are now providing similar support to develop the talent of the Maldives cricket players.  We consider it a matter of immense pride that India is at the forefront of a major housing project in Sri Lanka.  Our development partnerships reflect the development priorities of our partner nations. 

Friends, India is not only proud to be helping your present.  We consider it our privilege to help you create a better future for your youth.  That is why training and skilling is such an important part of our development cooperation.  They will make youngsters in our partner nations self-reliant and more confident to guide the future to newer heights. 

Friends, the future is about sustainable development.  Human needs and aspirations cannot be in conflict with our natural surroundings.  That is why we believe in both human empowerment and care for the environment.  Based on this philosophy, India has made efforts to nurture new institutions like the International Solar Alliance.  Let the rays of the sun brighten the journey of human progress.  We are also working on a strong Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.  Both initiatives are of special relevance to island countries.  The manner in which the global community has supported these efforts is heartening. 

Friends, all these values I spoke about come together in our special partnership with Mauritius.  With Mauritius, we share not only the waters of the Indian Ocean but also a common heritage of kinship, culture, and language.  Our friendship draws strength from the past, and also looks towards the future.  India takes pride in the achievements of the people of Mauritius.  From the narrow steps of the sacred Aapravasi Ghat to this modern building Mauritius has built its success through hard work and innovation.  The spirit of Mauritius is inspiring.  Our partnership is destined to soar even higher in the coming years. 

Viv Lamite Entra Land A Moris  

May India and Mauritius friendship remain immortal. 

Long Live India-Mauritius friendship. 

Thank you very much. 

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VRRK / AP / AM / AK