By IANS
New Delhi : India and Mauritius Tuesday, strengthening their political and economic ties, signed a pact on setting up an institution of diplomacy in the island nation that is home to nearly 800,000-strong Indian diaspora.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is currently on a three-day visit to Mauritius, co-chaired the 10th India-Mauritius Joint Commission Meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Ramakrishna Sithanen, who is also the minister of finance and economic development of Mauritius.
Mukherjee also called on Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Cooperation Madan Murlidhar Dulloo and discussed with him a host of bilateral and regional issues, including the intensification of economic ties between the two countries.
A memorandum of understanding for the establishment and development of the Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Trade in Mauritius was signed between India and Mauritius by the two ministers, said Navtej Sarna, external affairs ministry spokesperson here.
Mukherjee will call on President Anerood Jagnauth and Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam Wednesday. During his private visit to India this week, Jagnauth said that India-Mauritius ties go beyond mere friendship as both nations share “blood relations”.
About one-third of the total foreign direct investment into India is routed through Mauritius.