Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Mauritius to attend the country’s National Day celebrations as the chief guest on March 12. His visit will take place over two days, starting Tuesday. During this trip, both nations are expected to sign multiple agreements related to economic cooperation, trade expansion, and combating cross-border financial crimes.

During a media briefing on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that the two countries would sign agreements on capacity building, bilateral trade, countering financial crimes, and promoting small and medium-scale industries. He also described Mauritius as an important maritime neighbor and highlighted the significant strengthening of bilateral relations over the past decade.

Indian defense forces and a naval ship will participate in the Mauritius National Day celebrations. Strategically located in the western Indian Ocean, Mauritius has a population of 1.2 million, with nearly 70% of Indian origin. Since 2005, India has been one of Mauritius' largest trading partners. In the financial year 2022-2023, India's exports to Mauritius stood at $462 million, while Mauritius’ exports to India amounted to $91.5 million. According to official data, bilateral trade has increased by 132% over the past 17 years.