PM invites Mauritius counterpart to India
Key Highlights
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Strategic Invitation:
PM Modi invited PM Ramgoolam to visit India and reiterated the “MAHASAGAR” principle, symbolising India’s vision for regional maritime cooperation. -
Enhanced Strategic Partnership:
The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation in: -
Development partnership
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Capacity building
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Defence and maritime security
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Digital infrastructure
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People-to-people ties
SAGAR Doctrine
Full Form:
SAGAR = Security and Growth for All in the Region
Introduced by:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 during his visit to Seychelles.
Objective:
To establish India as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and ensure regional stability, maritime safety, and inclusive growth.
Key Pillars of SAGAR:
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Enhancing Maritime Security:
Surveillance, anti-piracy cooperation, joint naval exercises. -
Capacity Building & Training:
Support for small IOR nations in maritime law enforcement, hydrography, etc. -
Disaster Risk Reduction & HADR:
Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions, as seen in Indian Navy’s swift response during cyclones and tsunamis. -
Blue Economy Cooperation:
Promoting sustainable use of marine resources. -
Environment Protection & Climate Action:
Coordinated efforts to conserve marine ecosystems. -
Connectivity & Infrastructure:
Port development, shipping lanes, SagarMala project alignment.
Examples of Implementation:
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Mission Sagar (2020): Medical and food aid to IOR nations during COVID-19.
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Naval presence in Mozambique Channel, Seychelles, Maldives.
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IFC-IOR (Gurugram): Information Fusion Centre for real-time maritime domain awareness.
MAHASAGAR Vision
Meaning:
MAHASAGAR = A broader, expanded version of SAGAR, proposed recently (2024–25) to strengthen India’s leadership role in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
Introduced by:
Prime Minister Modi during interaction with Mauritius and Indian Ocean island nations in 2024–25.
Core Vision of MAHASAGAR:
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Maritime cooperation across wider Indo-Pacific — not just IOR.
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Advancing strategic partnerships with island nations.
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Holistic development — economic, security, and infrastructure support.
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Allied response to climate challenges (e.g., sea level rise, coral loss).
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SAGAR becomes part of a larger MAHASAGAR — more inclusive and pan-oceanic.
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Enhanced people-to-people, digital, defence, and blue economy linkages.
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Push for global South-South cooperation.
Key Differences: SAGAR vs MAHASAGAR
| Feature | SAGAR | MAHASAGAR |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Indian Ocean Region | Wider Indo-Pacific & Small Island States |
| Year Introduced | 2015 | 2024–25 |
| Focus | Maritime security + regional stability | Strategic outreach + climate + blue growth |
| Role | Regional net security provider | Global maritime partner |
UPSC Relevance
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GS II: India’s Foreign Policy, India-Africa/Mauritius relations, Bilateral & Regional Groupings
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GS III: Maritime security, Blue Economy, Disaster Management
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Essay & IR: India as a "Vishwa Mitra" in the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific