India-Mauritius Maritime Cooperation Gains Momentum as INS Tarkash Arrives

Port Louis welcomed the Indian Navy warship INS Tarkash on Friday, as the vessel arrived in the Mauritian capital during an operational deployment in the southern Indian Ocean region.

The ship is set to join events marking the 192nd Aapravasi Diwas, to be held on November 2.

India and Mauritius have been steadily strengthening their maritime partnership. Earlier, in August, Indian Navy chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan met Mauritian Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam. The meeting explored various dimensions of enhancing maritime security cooperation between the two countries.

According to the Indian Navy, priority areas included maritime security cooperation, training exchanges, information-sharing arrangements, capacity building, and deeper operational cooperation between the Indian Navy and the Mauritius National Coast Guard.

Admiral Swaminathan had told the Prime Minister that the Indian Navy would continue extending all possible help to the Mauritius Police Force and the National Coast Guard in building capabilities and developing skills.

During the Navy chief's visit, he also called on several senior Mauritian officials. They included Police Force Commissioner Ramparsad Sooroojebally and Secretary for Home and Defence Affairs Kan Oye Fong Wing-Purun. Discussions centred on new opportunities for cooperation.

The Indian Navy added that the talks also looked at building the capacity of the Mauritius National Coast Guard, joint surveillance of the Exclusive Economic Zone, and expanding operational relations between the two maritime forces.

The Navy emphasised that the maritime partnership is built on mutual trust and a shared resolve to keep the Indian Ocean secure and stable, in keeping with the MAHASAGAR vision.