By Girish Linganna

Mar 12: Indian Heritage in Mauritius: Mauritius comprises one main island, Mauritius, and several smaller islands and archipelagos, including Rodrigues, Agalega.. The main island, Mauritius, is renowned for its diverse landscapes and cultural richness, while Rodrigues is known for its coral reefs and abundant marine life.

Saint Brandon (also known as the Cargados Carajos shoal) is a group of over 50 small islands, atolls, and islets located about 430 km northeast of Mauritius.Thisis part of Mauritius, located northeast of the main island. The Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia, is a disputed territory claimed by Mauritius but controlled by the UK. Tromelin Island, east of Madagascar, is administered by France but also claimed by Mauritius, highlighting regional sovereignty disputes.

The capital of Mauritius is Port Louis. As of April 2023, the population of Port Louis was approximately 150,000 residents, though the entire island of Mauritius had a population of around 130,000 people. Port Louis is roughly 5,094 kilometers (about 3,853 miles) away from India, measured from the closest points between the two locations and it is 2,000 kilometers off the southeastern coast of Africa.

The large portion of Mauritius' population is of Indian descent, comprising about two-thirds of the total population. These people are descendants of the Indian laborers who migrated to Mauritius in the 19th century. The Indian community in Mauritius is diverse and includes people of various religious backgrounds including Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity.

The Indian influence is deeply ingrained in Mauritian culture. Indian festivals such as Diwali, Holi, and Maha Shivaratri are widely celebrated across the island. Indian cuisine, music, dance, and fashion also have a prominent place in the daily life of Mauritians.

Geographically, Mauritius is strategically located in the Indian Ocean, making it of significant interest to India from a security perspective. The island serves as a pivotal point for maritime routes and has been part of India's maritime security strategy, including the Indian Ocean Rim Association's initiatives.

Deepening India-Mauritius Ties: Strategic Ocean Projects:

Established in 1997, the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is an international organization consisting of coastal states bordering the Indian Ocean, aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development within the Indian Ocean region through various initiatives.

The relationship between India and Mauritius advanced significantly with the online or virtual unveiling of an airstrip and a jetty on Agalega Island, constructed by India, on February 29, 2024.

A jetty is a structure extending into a body of water, used for docking ships, protecting coastlines, and loading or unloading cargo and passengers. It can be made from wood, concrete, or metal.

The launch of the connectivity project by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth occurred at a pivotal moment, marking a significant development in the relationship between the two nations.

The situation in the Red Sea remains unresolved, with ongoing attacks on merchant vessels and undersea cables reigniting piracy in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). Simultaneously, the increasing presence of Chinese vessels, labeled as research or surveillance ships, is causing confusion over their true purposes, as the distinction between their military and non-military objectives becomes increasingly ambiguous.Their presence in various island nations across the region has also expanded.

Indian aid for development projects in this matrix demonstrates India's commitment to prioritizing its neighboring countries and promoting security and growth for all in the Indian Ocean region through its 'Neighbourhood First' and 'Security and Growth for all in the Region' (SAGAR) doctrine.

Tromelin and Agalega, located in the western and central Indian Ocean, are not connected to the mainland. The strategic significance of Agalega Island stems from its proximity to the Mozambique Channel.

The Agalega island is positioned approximately 1060 km north of Port Louis, the capital, about 1880 km northeast of the Mozambique Channel, and roughly 3134 km southwest of Kochi, home to one of India's southern naval bases.

The significance of the Mozambique channel stems from its role as a crucial trade route, enabling the movement of goods worth billions of dollars, particularly as the Suez Canal's vulnerability grows.This passage is also a rich source of various metallic, non-metallic, and rare earth minerals found in coastal countries such as Mozambique, Tanzania, and Madagascar.This encompasses extensive deposits of natural gas, iron ore, graphite, gold, rubies, Columbo-tantalite, among others. Presently, several established and rising nations such as India, China, France, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, and others, have made investments across different phases of production and supply chains.

Moreover, the growing necessity to broaden the variety and origins of energy and raw materials, prompted by changing dynamics in global politics, will provoke a competition among countries for their economic stability. Nonetheless, ensuring a protected and reliable route for imports and exports from this area remains essential.

The scattered geography of Mauritius, with an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of almost 2.3 million km2, provides a unique advantage for constant surveillance and monitoring to protect the trading route from various types of threats, both traditional and non traditional.

The extended 3km airstrip will allow for the accommodation of larger aircraft such as the P8I Poseidon for operations.The airstrip will aid in extending operational capabilities both in times of peace and in other circumstances, enabling close monitoring of activities in India's surrounding areas.

The completion of the fully developed jetty will also permit larger ships to dock at the harbor for tasks such as search and rescue missions and providing humanitarian aid in the Western Indian Ocean region.Furthermore, this will enhance the standard of living and improve the circumstances of residents who are isolated from the mainland by long distances and currently experience inconsistent deliveries of crucial goods from their home country.In pursuit of this goal, initiating community development initiatives will be advantageous for the island, which lacks adequate educational and medical resources.

The progression will not just bolster the current defense collaboration between New Delhi and Port Louis by improving the capabilities of the Mauritian Defense Forces to protect their interests in the outlying island areas, but it also underscores India's growing capacity to involve island nations in the realms of progress and prosperity.In line with this objective, the enhancement of surveillance infrastructure in the Western Indian Ocean reaffirms India's steadfast dedication to the maritime security framework in its neighboring region as it becomes more involved in oceanic matters.

(The author Girish Linganna of this article is a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. You can reach out to him at: girishlinganna@gmail.com)