
PM Modi speaks with Mauritius counterpart; leaders affirm commitment to deepen strategic partnership
New Delhi [India], June 24 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephone conversation with his Mauritius counterpart Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam and the two leaders discussed cooperation across a broad range of areas, including, defence and maritime security.
Emphasising the special and unique ties between India and Mauritius, the two leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to further deepen the Enhanced Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
'They discussed the ongoing cooperation across a broad range of areas, including development partnership, capacity building, defence, maritime security, digital infrastructure, and people-to-people ties,' a PMO release said.
PM Modi appreciated the whole-hearted participation of PM Ramgoolam in the 11th International Day of Yoga.
He reiterated India's steadfast commitment to the development priorities of Mauritius in line with Vision MAHASAGAR and India's Neighbourhood First policy.
PM Modi extended invitation to PM Ramgoolan for an early visit to India. Both leaders agreed to remain in touch.
In a post on X, PM Modi said Mauritius remains a key partner in India's Vision MAHASAGAR and Neighbourhood First policy
'Pleased to speak with my friend, Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam. We exchanged views on further strengthening India-Mauritius Enhanced Strategic Partnership and regional developments. Mauritius remains a key partner in India's Vision MAHASAGAR and our Neighbourhood First policy,' he said.
India has close and longstanding relations with Mauritius, an island nation in the WesternIndianOcean, anchored in shared history, demography and culture. A key reason for the special ties is thefactthat Indian origin people comprise nearly 70% of the island's population of 1.2 million (28%Creole,3% Sino-Mauritian, 1% Franco-Mauritian).
Since 2005, India has been among the largest trading partners of Mauritius. For the FY2023-24Indian exports to Mauritius was USD 778.03 mn, Mauritian exports to India was USD73.10mnandtotal trade was USD 851.13 mn. Trade has grown in the last 18 years, fromUSD206.76millionin2005-06 to USD 851.13 million in 2023-24. (ANI)
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It finally took a 1994 Supreme Court judgment to curtail the scope of President's rule. Nonetheless, the Union has been able to exert power over states through fiscal centralisation and the governor's office. Over the past decade, fiscal centralisation via delays in GST compensation, non-shared cesses, and discretionary transfers has undermined state capacity and made states more dependent on the Union, as seen in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Punjab. Though fully legal, such measures do undermine state rights. Fiscal centralisation has been accompanied by political standoffs. Governors have, of late, withheld assent on key bills passed by state legislatures, or blocked state appointments using powers accorded in the Constitution itself. Ongoing issues between non-NDA ruled states and the Union stem from the fact that governors, who are appointed by the Union, could employ a pocket veto on legislation by not assenting to it or forwarding it to the President for a decision. It took a Supreme Court judgment earlier this year to build timelines and processes into how long a governor or the President can block legislation passed by a state government. There are other areas where state control undermines the democratic ethos of the Constitution, especially when weaponised. Anti-terror and preventive detention laws—a hallmark of India's history since Independence—have had their powers expanded with the UAPA, PMLA, and earlier with TADA. This is not to say every government has unjustly used these laws, but to highlight the ease with which civil rights can be taken away if desired. Executive power has ebbed and flowed since the Emergency. During the coalition era from 1989–2014, a weaker Union allowed for cooperative federalism to emerge. States had a stronger say, and key initiatives to decentralise power away from the Union were introduced, from the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments, to the Right to Information Act. Even as the Union yielded some of its power, anti-terror laws and financial regulation shifted power away from the citizen back to the state, and fiscal centralisation has become a weapon to use against non-NDA-ruled states. If the Emergency showed the extent of executive power, it is clear that the source of such power is embedded in India's constitutional setup; this is the legacy that India must contend with, 50 years on. Vibhav Mariwala writes about political economy, history, and the institutions that shape our world. He works on public policy and global macro between London and Mumbai and tweets @ are personal. (Edited by Theres Sudeep)