
Mauritius PM, alongwith 200 dignitaries welcome PM Modi at airport
Port Louis: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Mauritius to a grand and warm welcome at 6am (local time).
At this early hour, he was received by the top personalities of Mauritius. Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam welcomed him with a garland.
Ramgoolam was joined by the deputy PM, Chief Justice of Mauritius, Speaker of the National Assembly, Leader of the Opposition, Foreign Minister, Cabinet Secretary, Chairperson of Grand Port District Council and many others.
There were a total of 200 dignitaries present to welcome PM Modi at this early hour, which included MPs, MLAs, Diplomatic Corps and religious leaders.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Mauritius late Monday night on a two-day State visit. He will attend the National Day celebrations as the Chief Guest on March 12.
The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the visit is towards strengthening "India-Mauritus enduring ties."
"Strengthening India-Mauritus enduring ties! PM @narendramodi has embarked on a 2-day State visit to Port Louis, Mauritius. PM will participate as the Chief Guest at Mauritius' National Day Celebrations & also meet Mauritian leadership & dignitaries," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated in a post on X.
https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1899169358200611012
Members of the Indian Community gathered at the airport were excited to catch a glimpse of the Indian Prime Minister.
Sharad Barnwal, a member of the Indian diaspora, said "We are all very excited. We have gathered here since morning. The friendship between India and Mauritius has always been great, and after this visit of PM Modi, the relationship will get stronger."
Kadambini Acharya, Director, Cultural Centre of the High Commissioner of India to Mauritius, said "We have gathered here to welcome M Modi. We have been preparing to welcome PM Modi for the last 1 month. We will be very happy to meet and welcome him..."
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Times of Oman
4 hours ago
- Times of Oman
India's First Dual-Coast Submarine Manufacturing: Mazagon Dock, Hindustan Shipyard to sign historic pact
New Delhi: In a landmark development for the domestic defence sector, state-run shipbuilders Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) and Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL) are poised to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly build submarines—establishing the country's first-ever dual-coast submarine production capability. The collaboration marks a strategic push under the Narendra Modi government's Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative to ramp up indigenous defence manufacturing and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. It will significantly enhance the country's capacity to produce advanced submarines for the Indian Navy. Mumbai-based MDL has a proven track record of building both Shishumar-class and the more recent Scorpene-class submarines under technology partnerships. It is currently in the fray for the Rs 45,000-crore Project 75(I) submarine tender, in collaboration with German submarine maker TKMS. HSL, headquartered in Visakhapatnam on the east coast, has the unique distinction of being the only Indian shipyard to have completed a full-scale submarine modernisation—the complex refit of INS Sindhukirti. It continues to handle major refits and overhauls for the Navy's underwater fleet. This dual-yard initiative fulfills a long-standing strategic vision dating back to 1999, which called for establishing a submarine-building facility on the east coast to complement the west coast's capabilities. The Indian Navy has projected a requirement for at least 24 submarines to counter increasing maritime threats and assert dominance in the Indo-Pacific. Given the complexity and long timelines associated with submarine construction, the MDL-HSL partnership will be crucial in accelerating delivery schedules, ensuring production continuity, and mitigating risks associated with single-yard dependence. Operation Sindoor—an extensive underwater surveillance and deterrence exercise conducted by the Navy—has highlighted the critical role of submarines in safeguarding India's maritime interests. The dual-coast manufacturing strategy is expected to significantly enhance India's underwater combat readiness and aligns with its broader ambition to emerge as a dominant Blue Water Navy with reach across the Indo-Pacific region. With this move, India takes a decisive step toward creating a robust, self-reliant ecosystem in underwater warfare platforms, securing not just its coastlines but also its strategic maritime interests far beyond.


Times of Oman
8 hours ago
- Times of Oman
ADB President announces $10 billion for India's urban infrastructure
New Delhi: Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda has committed up to $10 billion, including third-party capital, for India's urban transformation, including metro extensions, new regional rapid transit system (RRTS) corridors, and urban infrastructure and services. This is a five-year initiative, ADB said in a statement on Sunday. "Cities are engines of growth," ADB President Kanda said after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi here in the national capital. "ADB will mobilize capital, accelerate delivery, and scale solutions that keep India's urban economy moving and people thriving on the road to Viksit Bharat @ 2047," the ADB President added. The five-year plan includes sovereign loans, private sector financing, and third-party capital. "Had a wonderful meeting with Mr. Masato Kanda, in which we shared perspectives on a wide range of issues. India's rapid transformation over the last decade has empowered countless people and we are working to add further momentum in this journey!" PM Modi wrote in a post on X after meeting the ADB President. The initiative is anchored by India's flagship Urban Challenge Fund (UCF), which ADB is supporting to attract private investment for urban infrastructure. Completed analytical work on growth hubs, creative city redevelopment, and water and sanitation upgrades in 100 cities across India is laying the groundwork for the UCF. ADB is also committing USD 3 million in technical assistance to design bankable projects and strengthen the capacity of states and urban local bodies. India's towns and cities are projected to house more than 40 per cent of the population by 2030. ADB has already worked with more than 110 cities across 22 states on water supply, sanitation, housing, and solid-waste management projects, and the active urban portfolio totals 27 loans worth USD 5.15 billion. On urban transport, over the past decade, ADB has committed USD 4 billion for metro projects and RRTS covering 300 kilometers in eight cities, including the Delhi-Meerut RRTS, Mumbai Metro, Nagpur Metro, Chennai Metro, and Bengaluru Metro. During his India visit, Kanda also met Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to discuss expanding metro networks including transit-oriented development (TOD), supporting rural prosperity, scaling rooftop-solar capacities, and operationalizing the UCF. In addition, he met Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal to map next steps for channelling private capital into urban projects, replicating ADB-backed urban transport successes on new corridors, and creating TOD opportunities. Kanda visited the ADB-supported Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor, India's first RRTS, and spoke with women whose livelihoods have improved through project-linked training. In Gurugram, he visited the renewable-energy company ReNew to discuss stronger collaboration in renewable energy, followed by a roundtable with chief executives from infrastructure, finance, agriculture, and social sector firms. In that meeting, he emphasized that India's private sector can provide the scale and dynamism needed to drive India's growth. Under ADB's country partnership strategy for India, 2023-2027, it stands ready to provide more than USD 5 billion in financing each year, including about USD 1 billion in non-sovereign operations to catalyse additional private investment. ADB began operations in India in 1986. As of April 2025, it had committed USD 59.5 billion in sovereign lending and $9.1 billion in nonsovereign investments. The active sovereign portfolio comprises 81 loans totaling USD 16.5 billion as of April 2025. Founded in 1966, the multilateral development bank ADB is owned by 69 members--50 from the region.


Muscat Daily
18 hours ago
- Muscat Daily
Oman-Philippines ties on good ground: Ambassador
Ambassador of Philippines to Oman, H E Raul Hernandez sees a bright future for the vibrant relationship between Oman and the Philippines. 'Oman is fast becoming my second home. At last year's National Day celebration, we proudly served Philippine mangoes – known for being among the sweetest in the world. We plan to continue this tradition,' he tells Anirban Ray in an exclusive chat Oman and Philippines have shared a long-standing relationship that is cordial, economically beneficial, culturally vibrant, and politically deep-rooted in mutual trust. Taking over as the new ambassador of Philippines to Oman, H E Raul Hernandez has a series of cultural, business-related, and people-to-people contact events lined up. This in view of the fact that the two countries have a long-standing relationship based on mutual respect, cultural exchanges and economic ties, he said. Both nations have a history of trade and co-operation dating back to centuries. In recent times, Philippines and Oman have continued to strengthen their relationship through diplomatic dialogue and collaboration in various fields, such as energy, infrastructure and art. The appointment of a new ambassador signals a commitment to further strengthening these ties and exploring new avenues for collaboration. Excerpts from an interview with H E Hernandez: What is your immediate focus as Ambassador of the Philippines to Oman? Since assuming office in September 2023, my focus has been clear and multifaceted. First, I am committed to strengthening economic diplomacy between the Philippines and Oman. Oman is currently our 65th largest trading partner, and in 2024, we saw key trade items exchanged such as electrical machinery, mineral fuels, and edible preparations from the Philippines, while Oman's exports included ores, cereals, and similar machinery components. We also aim to introduce more of our agricultural products into the Omani market – bananas, pineapples, tuna, and desiccated coconuts, among them. On the investment front, we are working to finalise agreements related to reciprocal protection of investments, double taxation avoidance, and agricultural and fisheries cooperation. A proposed MoU between the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) is also in the pipeline. Moreover, we are promoting the Philippines as an ideal investment and tourism destination. I'm pleased to hear from Omanis who have already visited the Philippines and enjoyed their stay. We hope to see more such visits through planned familiarisation tours. Secondly, connecting with our Filipino community in Oman is a key priority. With more than 48,000 Filipinos residing here, spread across various professions – from healthcare and engineering to hospitality and household services – I've been keen to listen to their experiences and extend embassy services where needed. Their stories of success and gratitude for the opportunities Oman has given them are truly inspiring. Lastly, I've dedicated efforts to deepening ties with the Omani community. We're celebrating 45 years of diplomatic relations with Oman this year, and I see this as an opportunity to express our gratitude for the friendship and support the Sultanate has shown. Oman is fast becoming my second home. At last year's National Day celebration, we proudly served Philippine mangoes – known for being among the sweetest in the world – and we plan to continue this tradition. How many visas were issued to Omanis who travelled to the Philippines last year? Technically, Omanis don't require a visa for visits to the Philippines of up to 30 days. In 2024, over 4,000 Omanis visited the Philippines, a number that doesn't include expatriates residing in Oman who also travelled to our country. Most of them visited for tourism, to enjoy our famous Filipino hospitality, food, and beautiful coastlines. Destinations like Boracay and Palawan remain top choices. We're also seeing increased interest in wellness tourism, thanks to our world-class health centers offering excellent diagnostics and care. Yes, we are working on a familiarisation tour for Omanis and expatriates in Oman. Also, Oman Air's direct daily flights to the Philippines make travel convenient and position our country as an ideal leisure and wellness destination. Are there any new initiatives/projects to be undertaken by the Embassy or Philippines in Oman this year? Yes, several memoranda of understanding between the Philippines and Oman are under discussion in fields of mutual interest. We're also excited about celebrating the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations with cultural and business initiatives, possibly featuring performances from Filipino talent. We aim to strengthen our visibility in Oman through participation in local government-led programmes that showcase Filipino products, talents, and culture. Are there plans for new Filipino schools in Muscat? Currently, the Philippine School in Oman has over 900 students and enjoys strong support from both, Filipino and expatriate, families. While there are no formal expansion plans yet from the school administration, we remain open to opportunities. We are also hopeful that the Omani government may one day provide land for a new and larger campus. Education is a key pillar of our commitment to Oman's future. What's the latest on investments, trade, and business exchanges in Oman? Today, there are over sixty Filipino-owned micro and small enterprises in Oman, primarily in food and retail – industries that reflect our culture's love for shared meals. These businesses not only serve our community but introduce Filipino cuisine to other cultures here. Oman's investor-friendly policies have helped our entrepreneurs thrive. Additionally, we are promoting the Philippines' sovereign wealth fund and are exploring potential investment collaborations in Oman. Progress in this area has been encouraging. How would you describe the people-to-people relationship between Oman and the Philippines? The people-to-people connection between our two nations is warm, dynamic, and growing. Filipinos and Omanis have built meaningful friendships over the years, evident not just during embassy events but also through community initiatives. A recent vaccine drive, where many of the nurses assisting Filipino clients were Omani, was a touching example of cooperation and solidarity. Filipino professionals – doctors, nurses, engineers, teachers – are respected contributors to Omani society. We continue to empower them, ensuring they feel supported in their roles, and proud of the impact they make here. These human connections are the foundation of our enduring partnership with Oman.