President Patil accorded warm welcome in Mauritius

Port Louis (Mauritius), Apr 24(ANI): President Pratibha Devisingh Patil arrived at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport in Port Louis, Mauritius, on Sunday where she was accorded with an impressive and warm welcome.

Patil is on a five-day state visit during which she will address Mauritius' National Assembly and hold discussions with the island nation's top leadership.

The President was received at the airport by Mauritius Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam and his wife Veena Rangoolam.

Bilateral relations between India and Mauritius have been characterized by regular exchanges at the highest political level that includes the Presidential and Prime Minister's visits of respectable countries.

Non-formal contacts between India and Mauritius go back even longer in history, dating back to the early 15th century when the uninhabited island of Mauritius was discovered by the Portuguese with the help of Indian and Arab navigators.

India's diplomatic relation with Mauritius was established before both countries gained their independence from their respective colonial rulers.

Bilateral trade between Indian and Mauritius has witnessed considerable improvement over the last two years. India was the second largest investor in Mauritius after the UK in 2008.

India has shown its interest in development in Mauritius by involving in several joint projects from medical sector to education, defense and science.

The Indian government has extended several lines of credit at concessional rates to the Mauritius government. These credit lines have been used to assist the Mauritius government in its projects for infrastructure development, human resource skills development and project appraisal.

In Mauritius government's fight against high-sea pirates and terrorism the Indian government had also agreed to provide an off shore patrol vessel to Mauritius. By Ravinder Singh Robin (ANI)