By IANS,
New Delhi: President Pratibha Patil leaves on a five-day state visit to Mauritius Sunday, during which she will address the country’s parliament and receive a doctorate degree.
The president will be accompanied by Union Minister of Shipping G.K. Vasan, as well as three parliamentarians.
Patil will hold meetings with her counterpart, Mauritius President Anerood Jugnauth, and also with the island nation’s Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam during the visit. Besides, she will also meet with Leader of Opposition Paul Raymond Berenger, Chief Justice Bernard Sik Yuen and Speaker of the National Assembly Rajkeswur Purryag.
Patil will address the 70-member National Assembly of Mauritius. She will be conferred a degree of Doctor of Civil Law honoris causa by the University of Mauritius.
Her other engagements include unveiling a bust of former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture and address a business meet.
A high-level group of 57 Indian business people will also be in Mauritius during the state visit.
Interestingly, Mauritius is the single largest source for foreign direct investment to India, accounting for 40 percent of FDI flows in the last ten years.
According to Reserve Bank of India, the amount of FDI flows from Mauritius to India was $49.11 billion from April 2000 to December 2009. Last year alone, the FDI from Mauritius stood at $10.37 billion.
There had been a sharp increase in the use of Mauritius as a base for offshore entities targeting India, especially after the signing of Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement in 1998.
The bilateral trade volume currently stands at $460-470 million.
Pointing out that India and Mauritius have had traditionally close relations, a senior official in the Ministry of External Affairs noted that both countries have similar approaches to various regional and international issues.
“The State Visit of the Hon’ble President of India to Mauritius will provide a further impetus to the consolidation and development of their historical friendship and cooperation between the two countries and will enhance the India-Mauritius partnership,” said Secretary (west), MEA, Vivek Katju.