New Delhi, Mar 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday returned to the national capital, after concluding his two-day State Visit to Mauritius.

PM Modi was the Chief Guest at Mauritius' National Day for the second time, an honour he first received in 2015. During his visit, he held meetings with the leaders and interacted with the Indian community in Mauritius.

He offered prayers at the Ganga Talao in Mauritius and mixed the sacred waters of the Ganges, brought from the Prayagraj Mahakumbh, into the Ganga Talao (Grand Bassin) at Port Louis in Mauritius.

In a post on X, PM Modi stated, "At the Ganga Talao in Mauritius, I had the honour of immersing water from the Triveni Sangam into the Talao. For millions of Hindus around the world, the Triveni Sangam is of special significance. This year's Mahakumbh drew pilgrims from all over the world, including Mauritius. May the blessings of Maa Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati always remain upon us."

PM Modi received the Highest National Award of Mauritius, the 'Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean.' Thousands of people gathered at the venue, braving the heavy rain to see their leader accept the award on the National Day.

"I express my heartfelt gratitude for being conferred the highest national award of Mauritius. This is not just my honour, it is the honour of 1.4 billion Indians. It is a tribute to the centuries-old cultural and historical bonds of kinship between India and Mauritius. It is an acknowledgement of our said commitment to regional peace, progress, security and sustainable development. And it is a symbol of the shared hopes and aspirations of the global south," PM Modi said while receiving the award.

PM Modi along with Mauritius counterpart Navinchandra Ramgoolam jointly inaugurated the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation. PM Modi said that the institute will serve as the hub for learning and research.

Prime Minister Modi's visit to Mauritius saw the two countries sign partnerships across several fronts. These included exchanges to India via the Char Dham and Ramayana trail, cooperation on the development of curriculum for school education, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on labour recruitment, and the establishment of the Directorate of Science and Technology in Mauritius. Notably, PM Modi invited his counterpart to visit India.

PM Ramgoolam thanked PM Modi for his presence as the Guest of Honour at the National Day celebrations marking the 57th Anniversary of Mauritius's independence and the 33rd Anniversary of the Republic of Mauritius.

PM Modi held a meeting with his Mauritius counterpart Navinchandra Ramgoolam on Tuesday. The two leaders reviewed bilateral ties and explored new avenues to elevate "special bond to even greater heights."

"Had an excellent meeting with Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam this evening. Thanked him for inviting me to be a part of the National Day celebrations of Mauritius and also his special gestures through my visit. I expressed gratitude to PM Ramgoolam for Mauritius' decision to confer upon me the Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean," PM Modi posted on X.

PM Modi also attended a banquet dinner hosted by Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam on Tuesday. In his remarks at the banquet, PM Modi said that the relationship between the two countries has no boundaries, and they will work together for the people of the two nations, as well as the peace and security of the region.

While addressing the Indian community event in Mauritius, PM Modi spoke about the decision to extend OCI cards to the seventh generation of the Indian diaspora in Mauritius.

"In Mauritius, a decision has been made to extend the OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card eligibility to the seventh generation of the Indian diaspora. I had the privilege of presenting the OCI card to the President of Mauritius and his spouse. Likewise, I am delighted to extend the same honor to the Prime Minister of Mauritius and his spouse," the PM said while addressing the members of the Indian community.

(ANI)

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