The enhanced airstrip and jetty on Agaléga, one of Mauritius' outer islands, will bolster the nation's capacity to surveil its vast exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and combat threats like piracy, terrorism, and illicit activities such as unregulated fishing.
Your provided content appears to be accurate. It highlights Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement emphasizing the partnership between India and Mauritius in addressing both traditional and non-traditional challenges in the Indian Ocean. Additionally, it mentions the inauguration of a strategic airstrip and jetty in Mauritius, indicating further cooperation between the two nations in enhancing infrastructure and security in the region.
The expanded airstrip and jetty on Agaléga, one of the outer islands of Mauritius, will indeed bolster the country’s capacity to monitor its vast exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and combat various illicit activities, including piracy, terrorism, and unregulated fishing.
Modi and his Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth jointly inaugurated an airstrip, jetty, and six development projects on Agaléga during a video conference. The upgrade of the infrastructure was fully funded with Indian grants.
“Many traditional and non-traditional challenges are emerging in the Indian Ocean region. All these challenges affect our economy. To deal with these, India and Mauritius are natural partners in the field of maritime security,” Modi said, speaking in Hindi.
The two countries are working to ensure security, prosperity, and stability in the Indian Ocean and are also cooperating in monitoring the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), joint patrolling, hydrography, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, he added.
"Today, the inauguration of the airstrip and jetty at Agaléga marks a significant step forward in our cooperation," stated Modi. "This development will not only enhance our partnership but also bolster the blue economy in Mauritius."
Jugnauth emphasized the urgent need to address infrastructural deficiencies in Mauritius to better monitor the country’s 2.3 million sq km Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). He noted previous unsuccessful attempts to upgrade the airstrip, prompting Mauritius to seek India’s assistance in 2015.
According to Modi, Mauritius is now better equipped to combat piracy, terrorism, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, and illegal fishing activities.
Addressing critics who viewed the memorandum signed by both countries as an attempt by India to establish a military base, Jugnauth stressed that the project adheres to the principle of mutual benefit and respects Mauritius' sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Overall, the content effectively conveys the key points and statements made by the leaders regarding the cooperation between India and Mauritius and the development at Agaléga.
The statement from Jugnauth emphasizes that Mauritius will retain sovereignty over Agalega and assures that the island will not be transformed into a military base. He also strongly criticizes any "India-bashing" campaign within Mauritius.
Modi reinforces India's commitment to development partnerships aligned with Mauritius's priorities, including security concerns related to its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and healthcare.
Infrastructure upgrades on Agalega, such as extending the airstrip and expanding St James Jetty, were funded by Indian grants. These improvements, along with similar efforts in the Seychelles, aim to bolster India's monitoring of vital sea routes in the Indian Ocean. This initiative gains significance amid reduced maritime security cooperation with India by the Maldives, which has recently shown pro-China leanings.
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