New Delhi, June 9: Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu touched down in the national capital Sunday morning to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi today.

Later, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe landed in the national capital.

Tobgay was warmly welcomed at the airport by Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (West) Pavan Kapoor, while Wickremesinghe was received by P Kumaran, the Officer on Special Duty (ER & DPA) division of the Ministry of External Affairs.

"PM Tshering Tobgay of Bhutan arrives in New Delhi for the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. Warmly welcomed by Secy (West) Pavan Kapoor at the airport. The visit will further strengthen close bonds of friendship and cooperation between India and Bhutan," said MEA Official spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal in a post on X.

"Warm welcome to President @RW_UNP of Sri Lanka as he arrives in New Delhi to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. Received by OSD (ER & DPA) P. Kumaran at the airport," said Jaiswal in another post.

The Mauritian PM was received at the airport by P Kumaran, the Officer on Special Duty (ER & DPA) division of the Ministry of External Affairs. President Muizzu was received by Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India, Pavan Kapoor at the airport here

"Welcome to India! PM Pravind Jugnauth of Mauritius arrives to a warm welcome in New Delhi to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. OSD (ER & DPA) P. Kumaran received PM Jugnauth at the airport. India and Mauritius enjoy historically special ties and close maritime partnership," said Jaiswal in a post on X.

"President Mohamed Muizzu of Maldives arrives to a warm welcome in New Delhi to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. Received by Secy (West) Pavan Kapoor at the airport. India and Maldives are maritime partners and close neighbours," Jaiswal said in a post on X.

Leaders from neighbouring nations and the Indian Ocean region are poised to gather as distinguished guests at the oath-taking ceremony this evening.

This gathering underscores India's steadfast commitment to its 'Neighbourhood First' policy and the visionary 'SAGAR' initiative.

These leaders include heads of Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Nepal and Bhutan. Of these distinguished guests, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina and Vice President of Seychelles, Ahmed Afif arrived yesterday and the remaining have begun arriving today.

Narendra Modi will be sworn in as Prime Minister for the third consecutive term today at 7:15 pm.

Mauritius PM Jugnauth had earlier congratulated PM Modi on his "laudable victory for a historic third term."In a post on X, Mauritius PM said, "Congratulations Prime Minister Modi Ji @narendramodi on your laudable victory for a historic third term."

Further, he said, that under PM Modi's leadership India will continue to grow. "Under your helm, the largest democracy will continue to achieve remarkable progress. Long live the Mauritius-India special relationship," said Mauritius PM.

India has close, longstanding ties with Mauritius, an island nation in the Western Indian Ocean. A key reason for the special ties is the fact that Indian origin people comprise nearly 70 per cent of the island's population of 1.2 million (28 per cent Creole, 3 per cent Sino-Mauritian, 1 per cent Franco-Mauritian).

Time and again India has highlighted that the development partnership with Mauritius and Global South is based on the priorities of receiving countries under its 'Neighbourhood First' policy.

President Droupadi Murmu visited Mauritius in March earlier this year where she was conferred with the honorary degree of Doctor of Civil Law by the University of Mauritius, in recognition of the 'profound depth' of the bilateral relationship between the two nations.

During President Murmu's visit to the neighbouring nation, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said that Mauritius is a very important component and segment of the priorities under India's neighbourhood policy.

"India-Mauritius partnership, it is anchored on the Mauritian priorities. So, India's development cooperation template, that we follow with any country, especially with countries of Global South, who are part of key priority area under Neighborhood First, under PM Modi's vision of SAGAR," said Kwatra.

"If you look at the projects of our development partnership, it is anchored first and foremost on the priorities of the receiving countries," he added.

In 2015, PM Modi embarked on a three-nation tour of Indian Ocean countries, during which after a visit to Seychelles he touched down Mauritius for a two-day visit.

PM Modi was welcomed warmly at the airport by the then Prime Minister of Mauritius Anerood Jugnauth. Prime Minister Modi was also the chief guest at Mauritius' 47th National Day.

Upon officially accepting the invitation from PM Narendra Modi for his swearing-in ceremony, the Maldivian President said that he "looks forward to working with the Prime Minister to further strengthen the close relations with India, noting that Maldives-India relations are heading in the positive direction, as would be demonstrated by this visit".

In an earlier statement, President Muizzu congratulated PM Modi and expressed his willingness to collaborate to enhance bilateral ties.

He posted on X, "Congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP and BJP-led NDA, on the success in the 2024 Indian General Election, for the third consecutive term. I look forward to working together to advance our shared interests in pursuit of shared prosperity and stability for our two countries "

In a reply to the post, Prime Minister Modi thanked Maldives President and said he looks forward to closer cooperation for further strengthening of bilateral ties between the two nations.

"Thank you President @MMuizzu. Maldives is our valued partner and neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region. I too look forward to closer cooperation for further strengthening our bilateral ties," PM Modi posted on X.

This would mark President Muizzu's inaugural official visit to India since assuming office on November 17 last year. Notably, Muizzu, known for his pro-China stance, diverged from his predecessors' protocol by choosing to visit Turkey first and then China for his first State visit in January.

Shortly after he was sworn in, President Muizzu stirred bilateral tensions by demanding the removal of approximately 88 Indian military personnel from the Maldives. These personnel were repatriated from three aviation platforms and replaced by Indian civilians by the May 10 deadline set by President Muizzu.

Alongside PM Modi, members of his council of ministers will also take their oath today. 

(ANI)

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