- Navy Chief’s four-day Mauritius visit puts maritime security, defence cooperation and capacity building at the heart of India’s Indian Ocean outreach
- Talks with Mauritian leadership to deepen operational linkages and reinforce strategic partnership
- Joint EEZ surveillance, training exchanges, port visits and hydrographic surveys anchor enduring India–Mauritius maritime cooperation
- Mauritius’ participation in MILAN, IONS, IFR, Goa Maritime Conclave, IOS SAGAR and Exercise AIKEYME reflects shared MAHASAGAR vision
- Visit after assuming charge as CNS underscores India’s priority to strengthen trust, regional cooperation and stability in the Indian Ocean Region
NE DEFENCE BUREAU
NEW DELHI, AUG 10
India’s Indian Ocean strategy is increasingly moving from partnership on paper to partnership at sea—and Mauritius is emerging as a pivotal bridge in that maritime vision. Against this strategic backdrop, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan has embarked on a four-day official visit to Mauritius from August 10 to 13, with maritime security, defence cooperation and capacity building expected to dominate his engagements.
The visit comes at a significant juncture in India’s expanding maritime engagement with the island nation and underscores New Delhi’s effort to build a stronger network of trusted partners across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
The Ministry of Defence described Mauritius as an “extremely valued partner in the Indian Ocean Region”, underlining the importance India attaches to the relationship.
From maritime security to military cooperation
During the visit, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan will interact with the senior leadership of the Government of Mauritius and hold discussions on matters of mutual interest, including maritime security, defence cooperation, capacity building and military collaboration.
The engagements are aimed at strengthening cooperation across the maritime domain, enhancing operational-level linkages and consolidating the robust strategic partnership between the two countries.
The timing of the visit is particularly significant as India seeks to deepen practical cooperation with Indian Ocean partners through greater information sharing, maritime domain awareness, training and coordinated operational engagement.
Partnership that patrols the waters
India and Mauritius share what the Defence Ministry describes as a “close and enduring maritime partnership.”
The Indian Navy regularly engages with the Mauritius National Coast Guard through training exchanges and operational interactions, including Joint Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Surveillance, besides port visits and hydrographic surveys.
These activities have steadily transformed the relationship from conventional defence cooperation into a broader framework of maritime security collaboration, with both nations working together to promote stability across the Indian Ocean.
“India and Mauritius share a close and enduring maritime partnership,” the Ministry said.
Mauritius has also been a regular participant in key Indian Navy initiatives, including the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), MILAN, International Fleet Review, Goa Maritime Conclave, IOS SAGAR and Exercise AIKEYME.
Its participation in these platforms reflects the convergence of the two countries’ maritime outlooks and their shared commitment to the MAHASAGAR vision—Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.
Mahasagar’s island connect
The Mauritius visit also carries a wider strategic message.
The Ministry said Admiral Krishna Swaminathan’s visit after assuming charge as Chief of the Naval Staff underscores the priority India accords to its friendship with Mauritius, anchored in mutual respect, trust, maritime security, regional cooperation and stability in the Indian Ocean Region.
“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,” the Ministry said.
The emphasis on Mauritius fits into India’s broader effort to translate the MAHASAGAR vision into practical partnerships across the IOR—particularly with nations that occupy strategically important positions along vital maritime routes.
‘Landmark initiatives’ for the Indian Ocean
Mauritian Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful, in an earlier interview with IANS, described India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and MAHASAGAR visions as “landmark initiatives”, while praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role in strengthening bilateral ties.
“Mauritius has remained at the centre of India’s diplomatic policy during Prime Minister Modi’s tenure. He has visited Mauritius on two occasions – in 2015 and again in 2025. On both occasions, he had launched two landmark initiatives: SAGAR and MAHASAGAR Vision,” Ramful said.
With Admiral Krishna Swaminathan’s four-day visit, the India–Mauritius maritime relationship is poised to add another layer of operational depth to this larger strategic vision—where island partnerships, maritime security and regional stability converge to shape a safer Indian Ocean.
