India's approach to development partnership based on needs of its partners, Mauritius is prime example: PM Modi

New Delhi [India], January 20 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that Mauritius is a prime example of India's approach to development partnership which is based on the needs and priorities of its partners and noted that this has emerged as a key pillar of close ties between the two countries.
PM Modi and Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth on Thursday jointly inaugurated the India-assisted social housing units project in Mauritius virtually. They also launched the Civil Service College and 8 MW Solar PV Farm projects in Mauritius that are being undertaken under India's development support.
"I am happy to join Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth on the completion of social housing projects. We are particularly glad to be associated with this important effort to provide affordable houses to the common people of Mauritius," PM Modi said.
"We are also initiating today two other projects that are critical to nation-building, a state-of-the-art Civil Service College and eight Megawatt Solar PV project," he added.
The Prime Minister said the solar project will help mitigate the challenge of climate change that Mauritius faces as an island country.
"Our robust development partnership has emerged as a key pillar of our close ties. Mauritius is a prime example of India's approach to development partnership which is based on the needs and priorities of our partners," he said.
The Prime Minister recalled the joint inauguration of the metro express project, the ENT hospital and the new Supreme Court building and said he was "delighted to know about the metro's popularity crossing the 5.6 million passenger mark".
"We look forward to supporting the further extension of the metro," he said.
PM Modi said that it is also a matter of satisfaction and pride that the new ENT hospital has been instrumental in combating the COVID-19.
"Our cooperation during the COVID pandemic has been exemplary," he said and noted that New Delhi had sent vaccines to Mauritius under the Vaccine Maitri programme.
"I am happy that today Mauritius is among the few countries in the world to have fully vaccinated three-fourths of its population," he said.
Emphasising that Mauritius is also integral to New Delhi's approach to the Indian Ocean, PM Modi said that during his 2015 visit to Mauritius, he had outlined India Maritime cooperation vision of SAGAR - 'Security and Growth for All in the Region'.
"I am glad that our bilateral cooperation, including in maritime security, has translated this vision into action. To protect our shared maritime heritage, today's event again demonstrates our shared commitments to improving the lives of our people," he said.
An agreement on extending a USD 190 mn Line of Credit (LoC) from India to Mauritius for the Metro Express Project and other infrastructure projects has also been reached between the two countries. (ANI)