Modi all set to embark on Indian Ocean diplomacy

Plans five-day visit to island nations of Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka

Giving a major fillip to India’s neighourhood outreach in the Indian Ocean region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a five-day visit to the three key island nations of Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka from March 10, reports IANS.

However, the Maldives leg of the visit is not on, in view of the recent political turmoil in that country after the arrest of opposition leader and former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed.

In Seychelles, the first stop of his tour, Modi will hold bilateral discussions with President James Alexis Michel to strengthen maritime ties and enhance bilateral development cooperation. Three agreements are set to be inked between Seychelles and India during the visit. Modi will be the second Indian prime minister to visit Seychelles after Indira Gandhi’s visit in 1981.

India’s bilateral cooperation with Seychelles is mainly in the field of health, education, defence and maritime security.

India recently gave a patrol ship to Seychelles, a 115island country located 1,500 km east of Southeast Africa. The patrol ship was for the Seychelles Coast Guard to better patrol its extensive Exclusive Economic Zone.

Both are likely to ink an agreement to strengthen the energy sector of Seychelles, an Indian Ocean archipelago of 90,000 people.

Modi next visits Mauritius on March 11-12 where he will hold intensive meetings with Prime Minister Sir Anerood Jugnauth to further strengthen India’s special and unique relations with that country. Modi will also be the chief guest at the Mauritian National Day celebrations. A formal invite for the event had been handed over to him personally by VicePrime Minister Showkutally Soodun in January.

Besides meeting with the Mauritian prime minister, Modi will also call on President Kailash Purryag, and meet leader of the opposition, Paul Berenger.

Modi is likely to address the Mauritian Parliament on March 12. Besides meeting other political personalities of the island, Modi will pay a visit to the Ganga Talao and Appravasi Ghat, both of which are associated with the arrival of the Indian indentured labour to Mauritius. He will also visit the Mahatma Gandhi Institute. During the visit, several MoUs are set to be inked, including an agreement to facilitate sea and air transport.

Modi’s final stop will be Sri Lanka, on March 13-14, during which he will hold meetings with President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Modi will address a special sitting of the Sri Lankan Parliament and also lay a wreath at the Indian Peace Keeping Force ( IPKF) Memorial and visit the Mahabodhi Society. President Maithripala Sirisena will host a state banquet in honour of the visiting Indian PM.