PM Modi inaugurates two projects in Mauritius through video conferencing

Continuing India's neighbourhood-first policy, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated two projects in Mauritius along with the Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth through video conferencing. 

The projects which Mauritius PM described "Mother India's blessing" are phase one of Mauritius metro and a new ENT hospital.

Jugnauth, speaking on the occasion in Hindi said, "Iskey liye Mauritius Ki Janta bharat ki hamesh abhari rahi gi" (our people will forever be grateful to India).

"We need the blessings of Mother India for us to pursue our journey in the more auspicious manner. Your message today will represent those blessings," he added.

The metro project is the biggest project undertaken in the country and has been in pipeline for three decades.

Speaking at the inauguration PM Modi said, "The metro will provide clean, efficient and time-saving transport. It will contribute to economic activities and tourism..The other project inaugurated today - state-of-the-art ENT Hospital - will contribute to quality healthcare. The Hospital has an energy-efficient building and will offer paper-less services"

India is already involved in several projects in the country. In 2016, India provided a Special Economic Package of $ 353 million for the execution of five projects -- Metro Express Project, Supreme Court Building, New ENT Hospital, Social Housing project, Supply of digital tablets to primary school children -- in the Indian ocean country. 

Some other India-assisted projects existing in Mauritius include the Upadhyay Training Centre, the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, the Subramania Bharati Eye Centre, the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre and the Swami Vivekananda International Conference Centre (SVICC). 

Mauritius is also keen to get modern electric buses.

Jugnauth visited India twice this year. Both Modi and Jugnauth also met on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly last week in New York.

The inauguration of projects in Mauritius by video conferencing comes weeks after India inaugurated projects in Nepal. In early September, India and Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli inaugurated south Asia's first cross border oil pipeline. The pipeline from Motihari in Bihar to Amlekhganj in Nepal will transfer petroleum products such as diesel, LPG, aviation turbine fuel etcetera.