India’s Indo-Pacific outlook is aimed at creating a free, open, peaceful, and navigable region. To achieve this goal, India must secure the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Due to its central location in the Indian Ocean, India has uninterrupted access to the 40 rim nations of the IOR.
After being re-elected for a third term, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first action was to revitalize India’s strategic partnerships with island nations in the IOR under the Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) Vision. This indicates Modi’s desire to reaffirm India’s role as a net security provider in the region.
A recent two-day visit by India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar to Mauritius was a significant step in advancing India’s SAGAR Vision. During his visit, Jaishankar inaugurated India’s first overseas Jan Aushadhi Kendra, a pharmacy selling affordably priced generic medications, and launched 12 India-assisted High Impact Community Development Projects with Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth.
Following his reappointment as foreign minister, Jaishankar’s visit to Mauritius highlighted its importance in India’s geostrategic calculations. Mauritius has historical ties with India and a significant Indian origin population, making it strategically important in the Western Indian Ocean region.
India’s renewed focus on its IOR partners is a response to Maldivian President Mohammed Muizzu’s pro-China policy, which strained relations between the two countries. To address strategic gaps, India is enhancing partnerships in economic, defense, and security domains under the SAGAR initiative.
SAGAR
The SAGAR Vision, announced by Modi in 2015, emphasizes India’s cooperation with maritime neighbors to safeguard the IOR from major power competition and ensure a safe, secure, and stable Indian Ocean Region. Under this vision, India aims to enhance economic and maritime security capabilities and provide humanitarian aid and disaster relief to its neighbors.
India is expanding its strategic engagements with Indian Ocean Rim Association members, especially in the western Indian Ocean, by strengthening its maritime domain capabilities under SAGAR.
India and Mauritius
Mauritius, a key partner in the SAGAR Vision, is also part of India’s “Neighborhood First Policy” and Africa Forward Initiative. The increasing cooperation between India and Mauritius signifies the latter’s importance in the changing security landscape of the IOR.
India’s assistance to Mauritius, including a $100 million line of credit for defense products and the joint inauguration of an upgraded airstrip and jetty, strengthens India’s maritime presence in the Indian Ocean and counters Chinese activities in the region.
Conclusion
The SAGAR vision aims to promote inclusive development by addressing economic and maritime security concerns while respecting international maritime laws and norms. India’s partnership with regional countries, guided by shared beliefs like SAGAR, enhances its strategic presence in the IOR and strengthens capacity building programs and developmental assistance.
India’s focus on partnerships with IOR nations, particularly with Mauritius, reflects a commitment to addressing traditional and nontraditional security challenges in the region collaboratively.
While economic integration and maritime security are driving forces for partnerships in the IOR, the SAGAR initiative emphasizes the importance of collective action and leadership to address rising security threats in the region and prevent major power competition.