India, Mauritius ink five pacts on Modi visit

India and Mauritius on Wednesday inked five agreements, including in ocean economy and for setting up and upgrading infrastructure on an outer Mauritian island, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Mauritian counterpart Anerood Jugnauth.

India also offered $500 million concessional Line of Credit to Mauritius for key infrastructure projects.

"Today, I was pleased to offer a concessional line of credit of $500 million for civil infrastructure projects for Mauritius," Modi said.

The MoU in the field of ocean economy "provides for mutually beneficial cooperation for exploration and capacity development in the field of marine resources, fisheries, green tourism, research and development of ocean technology, exchange of experts and other related activities", said an official statement.

The MoU for improvement in sea and air transportation facilities at Agalega Island of Mauritius provides for setting up and upgradation of infrastructure for improving sea and air connectivity at the Outer Island of Mauritius.

This will "go a long way in ameliorating the condition of the inhabitants of this remote island" and also "enhance the capabilities of the Mauritian Defence Forces in safeguarding their interests in the Outer Island", the statement said.

Another agreement was on import of Indian mangoes.

The "aim of this protocol is to facilitate importation of fresh mango fruits from India by Mauritius so that our Mauritian brethren can also relish the flavour of the world-renowned Indian mangoes".

Both sides also inked an agreement on cultural cooperation for 2015-18.

It envisages exchange of cultural troupes, training in fine arts, organisation of cultural exhibitions, preservation of cultural heritage, promotion of Indian languages, exchange of students, etc.

It will also enhance greater people-to-people participation between the two countries.

Another MoU was inked on cooperation in the field of traditional system of medicine and homoeopathy.

The agreement is to promote cooperation "in the field of traditional system of health and medicine between the two countries which already share these traditions due to our unique historical and cultural ties.

"It envisages exchange of experts, supply of traditional medicinal substances, joint research and development and recognition of the traditional systems of health and medicine in both countries. It also aims at promotion and popularisation of the various Indian traditional systems which fall under AYUSH," said the statement.